Social Inequality Juan Battle Fall 2018 [email protected] American society is highly unequal in terms of income and wealth, education, and health. Individuals face very different opportunities for obtaining an education, for developing important social, psychological, and cognitive skills and competencies during childhood and youth, and for finding satisfactory employment as adults. Levels of consumption and material comfort are highly unequal. Moreover, some individuals live in highly precarious situations, and are buffeted by economic and other setbacks, while others are better protected against risks, can feel secure and plan ahead. Over the life course, substantial gaps in health and longevity emerge between different groups within our population, such that some ‘age’ and die faster than others. When inequalities in life chances follow the boundaries of social groups – socioeconomic classes, racial or ethnic groups, genders, or age cohorts – we envision society as a hierarchy of groups, and call this pattern ‘social stratification.’ Sociologists ask why stratification exists, how it changes over time, and whether inequality is unavoidable or is a matter of political policy and popular will. We also debate normative issues: whether or when social inequality is just and productive, and when it is unjust and undesirable. Because students will be exposed to (and contribute from) a wide variety of perspectives on the subject, this course is appropriate for students in the traditional social sciences (e.g. sociology, anthropology, psychology, urban education, and history) as well as more contemporary ones (e.g. women’s studies, race studies, American studies, cultural studies, lesbian and gay studies). Grading – Grading will be a combination of: reaction papers (40%) one class presentation (20%) drafting a proposal (15%) a final proposal (15%) class participation (10%) Prerequisite – None Required Texts: Grusky, David. 2014. Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective, 4th Edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Course Outline: Week 1 – (8/27) What Is Stratification and Why Do We Study It? Week 2 – (9/17) Inequality in Comparative Perspective Week 3 – (9/24) The Structure of Inequality I Week 4 – (10/1) The Structure of Inequality II Week 5 – (10/22) Poverty & The Underclass Week 6 – (10/29) Who Gets Ahead I Week 7 – (11/5) Who Gets Ahead II Week 8 – (11/12) Workshop Proposals Week 9 – (11/19) Race & Ethnicity Week 10 – (11/26) Gender Inequality I Week 11 – (12/3) Gender Inequality II Week 12 – (12/10) Consequences of Inequality Week 13 – (12/17) The Future of Inequality .