Social Stratification

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Social Stratification University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Syllabi Course Syllabi Spring 2-1-2019 SOCI 325.01: Social Stratification Daisy Rooks University of Montana, Missoula, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Rooks, Daisy, "SOCI 325.01: Social Stratification" (2019). Syllabi. 10463. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/10463 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Social Stratification Spring 2019 University of Montana Course Number: 31541 – SOCI 325 Day: Tuesdays & Thursdays Time: 11:00 AM – 12:20 PM Class Location: JRH 204 Teaching Team Contact Information Professor: Daisy Rooks Email: [email protected] Office Phone: (406) 243-2852 Office Location: Social Science 313 Office Hours: Thursdays 1:00-3:00 PM Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM and other times by appointment, when possible Pronouns: She/her/hers Teaching Assistant: Rachel Schafer Email: [email protected] Office Location: Social Science 322 Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:30-2:30 PM Pronouns: She/her/hers Course Overview Course Description Social stratification is the study of social divisions based on class, power, status, rank, and a host of other factors. Sociologists, economists, journalists, policy-makers, and social activists have long been concerned with inequalities that exist in society, how they are generated, and their consequences for individuals and societies. Stratification is a broad topic that encompasses complex theories, various methodologies, and a number of academic disciplines. It is also a dynamic area of sociological research, since systems of inequality change over time in response to changes in the economy, politics, social policies, and attitudes. This courses employs a combination of theoretical readings, empirical works, lectures, class discussions, and exercises to examine the phenomenon of inequality in the U.S. Some lectures and class discussions will explore how theories of stratification relate to current events and contemporary debates about inequality in the U.S. 1 Course Objectives First, students will consider the role of inequality in today’s society. They will be introduced to common measures of inequality including status, power, income, and wealth. Next, students will explore three theories of stratification; Functionalist, Post-Marxist, and Weberian. They will learn the logic of each theoretical perspective and consider how proponents of each perspective would make sense of contemporary inequalities. Students will then examine how inequality is lived by exploring the lifestyles, consumption patterns, and experiences of people of color, low income people, women, and immigrants. Next, students will gain insights into the mechanisms that produce and sustain inequality, including incarceration, systems of production, redlining, labor market discrimination and social networks. Finally, students will examine several strategies for reducing or eradicating inequality, and debate the merits of each. This Course Counts towards the concentration in Inequality and Social Justice in the Sociology department. If you would like to know more about this option, visit the Sociology department website: http://hs.umt.edu/sociology/undergraduate/degree-options.php . Counts towards the major and minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. If you would like to know more about the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program, you can drop by the program office (LA 138A-B) or visit their website: http://hs.umt.edu/wgss/. Counts towards the major and minor in African-American Studies. If you would like to know more about the African-American Studies program, you can visit their website: http://hs.umt.edu/aas/. Expectations of Students Active Learning This is a challenging course. In order to pass it, you will need to adopt an active approach to learning. You will prepare carefully for each class session by reading the assigned material in advance of class and bringing it to class with you, so that you can refer to it during lectures and discussions. During class you will listen, take notes, ask questions, and participate in discussions. You will also refrain from texting, emailing, surfing the web, and using social media during class; they disrupt your classmates, and are disrespectful to your instructor. If you are unable to attend a class, you will obtain lecture notes from another student. Members of the teaching team will not provide lecture notes or PowerPoint slides to students, regardless of the reason for their absence. Respectful Participation This course covers topics that are controversial and uncomfortable. All students will participate respectfully, in order to help maintain a respectful, open and inquisitive classroom environment. This means: Explaining your views using reasoned arguments, and provide evidence for assertions of fact. Using personal anecdotes sparingly. When sharing a personal anecdote, always connect it back to the course material. 2 Respecting others’ views and listening. You do not have to agree with your classmates, but you should give them your full attention and consideration when they are talking during class sessions. Communication You should maintain a university email account and check it regularly for class announcements. You are responsible for all information contained in emails that I send to you. Feel free to contact me via email (or in my office hours) with questions or concerns about the course and/or your performance in the course. When emailing me, always: Use your UM email account University policy prohibits faculty and staff both from responding to emails sent from students’ personal, non-UM email accounts *and* sharing grade information via email. Include “SOCI 325” or “Social Stratification” in the subject line of your email Start your email with a professional greeting (Dear Professor Rooks or Dear Doctor Rooks are best) End your email by signing your full name (first and last) Academic Honesty You must practice academic honesty in this course. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or disciplinary sanction by the University. All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code, which is available for review online (http://www.umt.edu/student-affairs/dean-of- students/default.php). Secure Permission Before Recording To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas in this course, you must secure advance written permission from me before recording lectures, discussions, or review sessions. Students with permission to record may only use recordings for educational purposes; they may not modify, publish, copy, or distribute the recordings, even to other students in the class. Students whose accommodations from Disability Services for Students include recording class sessions must present their accommodation letter to me before recording any class sessions. Accessibility The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students. If you think that you may have a disability that adversely affects your academic performance and you have not already registered with Disability Services, please contact Disability Services in Lommasson Center 154 or (406) 243-2243. I will work with you and Disability Services to provide an appropriate modification. Expectations of the Professor Communication I will communicate regularly with students in the course using their UM email accounts. These emails will contain important information about the class schedule, class content, exams, and assignments. I will do my best to respond to student emails within 48 hours during the week; I do not check my UM email account on the weekends. When I answer a question during class that a student emailed me, I consider the question answered. 3 Affirming Names and Pronouns The teaching team for this course affirms people of all gender expressions and gender identities. We will gladly honor your request to address you by the name and gender pronoun that you prefer. If you go by a different name than the name on the class roster, please let us know early in the semester so that we can make appropriate changes to our records. For information about name changes at the University of Montana, please go here: https://www.umt.edu/registrar/students/name-change/default.php. Engaging a Community of Diverse Learners Students in my courses have diverse worldviews and experiences, disparate learning styles, varied levels of academic preparation, and dissimilar backgrounds in Sociology. I view this diversity positively, believing that it makes teaching and learning more interesting, dynamic, and relevant than it would be in courses full of homogenous learners. Over the years I have developed techniques to integrate diverse learners into my classrooms. I provide structured, linear class sessions. I encourage students to participate actively and frequently in class discussions. I encourage students to interrogate the course material closely when it does not make intuitive sense to them. I create a somewhat casual learning environment to spark students’ interest, using
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