Social Stratification Schedule

Daily Schedule and Announcements

Most grades now available via WebCT

Recommended News Articles and Other Resources:

Why he Was in Memphis: Martin Luther King died fighting for labor and a living wage (American Prospect)
Comparison of New Jersey School Test Results: Math English
Thomas Geoghegan, We Are All Waiters Now Why higher taxes would make Americans happier, and why, despite this, we still won't raise them (a provocative and relevant article--comments (including summary) at WebCT bulletin board welcome)
NEW DATA SHOW INCOME CONCENTRATION JUMPED AGAIN IN 2005: Income Share of Top 1% Returned to Its 2000 Level, the Highest Since 1929

Getting Started

Tues. Jan. 16

First Class. Introduction to the Course.
Tasks to complete by the end of the week:
1) Update your email address at https://www.acs.rutgers.edu/studentdir/ (this is important for receiving course emails--note: the URL above has been updated and should work))
2) Access the course website and read the course homepage carefully. Familiarize yourself with the course website's navigation structure and contents.
3) Access the Bulletin Board at the WebCT site and respond to my message under Personal Introductions (please do this if at all possible by 10:00 Wednesday night and read the responses of others for discussion in class on Thursday);
4) Register at the New York Times website if you haven't done so before.
5) Familiarize yourself with the department's policy on plagiarism and proper citation at the department's Web-Enhanced Curriculum (see links on left toolbar). You are responsible for knowing and understanding the department's plagiarism and citation policies.
6) Declare your major if you have not done so already, by going to the registrar's office and asking to be listed as a sociology major (920) or criminal justice major (202). This will enable you to receive periodic messages from the department of interest to majors.

Module 1: Introduction to the Lived Experience of Inequality--And How It Matters

Thurs. Jan 18	Discussion of WebCT postings about what social stratification has meant in our lives. Read: Bill Moyers, "This is the Fight of Our Lives" (keynote address, 2004) Moyers speech at Inequality Matters (2004) conference Film: People Like Us: Social Class in America, Part 1 Film Website
Tues. Jan. 23	Read: Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed, Introduction, Chapters 1-2 In Class: Excerpt from SEIU, Stronger Together: Invisible No More: Quality Home Care and L-Curve Video
Thurs. Jan. 25	Continue film: People Like Us: Social Class in America Discuss Ehrenreich Assignment
Tues. Jan. 30	Read: Ehrenreich, Chapter 3, and Evaluation (final chapter) and Simon Head, "Inside the Leviathan," New York Review of Books (Dec. 16, 2004) Explore: AFLCIO Website: Paying the Price at Wal-Mart (explore the links). Come prepared to discuss the Wal-Mart controversy as well as Ehhrenreich's experience. Highly recommended: Frontline online video: Is Wal-Mart good for America?
Thurs. Feb. 1	Finish watching film: People Like Us: Social Class in America Ehrenreich Reader's Guide Assignment *should be submitted via the WebCT assignments page the night before class. See WebCT assignment page for details.*

Module 2: The Concept of Social Class in the 21st Century: Is It Still Useful?

Tues. Feb. 6	Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Stratification and Social Class Read: Gilbert, The American Class Structure, Ch. 1, [WebCT References] Better quality image Figure 1-1: Gilbert-Kahl Model of the Class Structure Powerpoint - PDF-Handout
Thurs. Feb 8	The Gilbert-Kahl Model of the U.S. Class Structure Read: Gilbert, The American Class Structure, Ch. 11 [WebCT References] and Janny Scott and David Leonhardt, "Class in America: Shadowly Lines that Still Divide," New York Times Class Matters series (May 16, 2005) Powerpoint - PDF-Handout Discussion of Virtual Tour and MicroCase Assignments
Tues. Feb. 13	Cultural Capital and Social Reproduction Read: Emily Eakin, "Social Status Tends to Seal One's Fate, Says France's Master Thinker," New York Times (Jan. 6, 2001); and Peter W. Cookson, Jr. and Caroline Hodges Persell, Elite Boarding Schools: Curricula as Cultural Capital (both in Web-CT References--for Cookson & Persell, click on "print as image" in printer dialog box when printing) Explore: some elite boarding school websites: Philips Academy Andover, Groton School, Philips Exeter Academy (admissions film), The Taft School Powerpoint - PDF-Handout Video: excerpts from the UP series Social Stratification Virtual Tour due by midnight
Thurs. Feb. 15	Meritocracy, Mobility and Resistance Read: Stephen McNamee and Robert K. Miller, "The Meritocracy Myth," Sociation Today (Spring 2004), and Skim: James C. Scott, Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance, Chapter 2, "Normal Exploitation, Normal Resistance," two parts, [WebCT References] Powerpoint - PDF-Handout Excerpts from SEIU, Stronger Together: Janitors for Justice
Tues. Feb 20	The End of Social Class? Read: Read: Terry Nichols Clark and Seymour Martin Lipset, "Are Social Classes Dying?" (1991), reprinted in their The Breakdown of Class Politics (2001) [WebCT References] *and* Vincente Navarro, "Class and Race: Life and Death Circumstances," Monthly Review (Sept. 1991) [WebCT-References] Powerpoint - PDF Handout
Thurs. Feb. 22	The Complex Relationship Between Race and Class Film: The Two Nations of Black America. Discussion of film: what it means to say that the problem of racial inequality today is primarily one of class and what kinds of solutions follow from a "race-based" vs. "class-based" analysis. Recommended: State of the Dream 2007 MicroCase Exercise: How Does Social Class Matter? due.

Module 3: Explaining the Growing Inequality in the U.S.

Tues. Feb. 27	Growing U.S. Inequality and Its Consequences Read: Economic Apartheid, Preface, Introduction, Chapters 1-2 For a contrasting perspective from the Cold War era, we will watch the 1955 film, "America's Distribution of Wealth," which can be viewed online. Powerpoint - PDF-Handout Class Background Assignment discussed.
Thurs. March 1 Study Guide for Exam	Explaining the Growth of Inequality Read: Economic Apartheid, Chapter 3 and John Myles and Karen Myers, "Introduction: Who Gets What and Why? Answers From Sociology," American Behavioral Scientist 50:5 (January 2007): 579-583. [WebCT References] Powerpoint - PDF-Handout
Tues. March 6	A Winner-Take-All Society? Read: Robert H. Frank, "Talent and the Winner-Take-All Society," The American Prospect 5, 17 (March 21, 1994) [WebCT References] Video excerpt from Jim Lehrer News Hour on winner-take-all society [access WebCT course website and click on Movies] Exam Review
Thurs. March 8	In-Class Exam on basic concepts and ideas in Modules 2 and 3.
Spring Break	Plan ahead for the class background assignment if you don't want to use your break for working on it.
(Tuesday March 27)	Class Background Assignment should be handed in (as hard copy) at the beginning of class on the Tuesday, March 27th (note change of date) Get underway reading the Domhoff book (see below)

Module 4: Economic Power, Politics and Ideology:

Tues March 20	Social Class and Economic Power in the U.S. Read: Domhoff, Who Rules America? Preface, Introduction and Chapters 1-3 (skim to get the basic ideas). Highly recommended: Check out An Internet Guide to Power Structure Research Powerpoint - PDF-Handout
Thurs March 22	How Public Policy and Opinion is Shaped Read: Domhoff, Chapter 4-5 (read these two chapters carefully) Powerpoint - PDF-Handout
Tues March 27	Film: Selections from Bill Moyers' Free Speech for Sale and Now Class Background Assignment should be handed in (as hard copy) at the beginning of class
Thurs March 29	The Political Spectrum: Understanding Where the "Experts" Are Coming From Political Compass posting due the night before class: go to Political Compass bulletin board at WebCT site to get directions Examine: Introduction to the Political Spectrum of the U.S. (Monika Wood) Discussion of political labels and orientations Domhoff Research Project discussed.
Tues April 3	Processes of Power Read: Domhoff, Chapters 6-7 Some additional resources for the Domhoff Research Project: Powerpoint - PDF-Handout
Thurs April 5	Optional Class: Workshop on Domhoff Research Assignment
Thurs. April 12	Domhoff Research Assignment due at beginning of class (note change odf date).

Module 5: The New Poverty: Work, Race and the Underclass

Tues. Apr. 10 Class Cancelled	A Look Back: When There Was a War on Poverty Film: America's War on Poverty, part 1, In This Affluent Society
Thurs. April 12	Race and Class in Historical Context Read: William Julius Wilson, "Jobless Poverty: A New Form of Social Dislocation in the Innter-city Ghetto," in D.G. Grusky and S. Szelenyi, The Inequality Reader (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2007) [WebCT References] Powerpoint - PDF-Handout New Due Date for Domhoff Research Project
Tues April 17	Explaining Inner-City Violence: The Code of the Street Read: Anderson, Code of the Street, Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1 Student film: Down Germantown Avenue: An Introduction to Elijah Anderson's Code of the Street No PowerPoint today
Thurs April 19	Read: Anderson, Chapters 2-4 Read for John Turner assignment: Excerpts from C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination John Turner Essay assignment discussed (see left toolbar link) John Turner Powerpoint - PDF-Handout Course evaluation
Tues April 24	Read: Anderson, Chapters 5-7 No PowerPoint today Tavis Smiley interview with Elijah Anderson (requires RealPlayer)
Thurs April 26	Read: Anderson, Conclusion. For hope and inspiration: NPR Audio Report: Inner-City Teacher Takes No Shortcuts to Success Online Video from Bill Moyers NOW (Endangered Species, Jan. 16, 2004) Note: No regular class today. Dr. Wood will be available in his office to meet with students who wish to discuss their John Turner papers.
Friday May 4th	John Turner Essay due by midnight. Submit via Assignments page in WebCT.