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This course explores the origins and consequences of social inequality. It focuses primarily on inequalities rooted in the economic order--those associated with social class--but it addresses as well the interrelations between class and other forms of inequality, notably race and gender. The course is divided into a series of modules. Each course module will not only have a unique substantive focus, but a skill-building one as well. The course is designed to provide training and experience in a range of methods and skills, as well as mastery of a central content area in sociology. Particular emphasis will be placed on good writing and clear thinking--probably the two most important skills you can carry forth from Rutgers. Prerequisites: 920.207 and 920.301 (highly recommended))

Four paperback books have been ordered at the Campus Bookstore and will be read in this course:

Chuck Collins and Felice Yeskel, Economic Apartheid in America: A Primer on Economic Inequality and Insecurity (New Press, Revised Edition, 2005). This book documents the growing inequality in the U.S. and explores the reasons for it. Illustrated with excellent graphics and polemical in style, it should be read, like all books, with a critical eye.

Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America (Henry Holt, 2001). A sociologically-informed journalistic account of the life of the working poor.

Elijah Anderson, Code of the Street: Decency, Violence, and the Moral Life of the Inner City (W.W. Norton,1999). This acclaimed ethnographic study of street life in Philadelphia explores how the new poverty has produced violence which often overwhelms public spaces in poor areas.

G. William Domhoff, Who Rules America? Power and Politics (Mayfield, 4th ed., 2002). This text provides a richly-textured analysis of the interrelations of economic and political power in the U.S.

There will be various online readings as well. All students should register (for free) at the New York Times website if they have not already done so, since registration is necessary to access some of the readings. All students are encouraged to read relevant material in the Times on a regular basis.

This course will make occasional use of the course management system, WebCT, for selected online tasks, including access to copyrighted materials, grade posting, and occasional discussion on the bulletin boards.

MicroCase CP, the statistical and dataset software package used across the sociology and criminal justice curriculum, will be used in this course. It is expected that students will be familiar with the student version of the program used in the introductory and methods courses. Any students taking this course without having taken 920:301 are expected to take the responsibility to familiarize themselves with the program and with the basic methods of quantitatve sociological analysis. Special tutorial assistance will be available for those who need it. MicroCase CP is available in all the campus labs in the Statistics folder. CD-ROMs may also be borrowed to install the program on student computers at home.

You may expect from me: careful preparation for each class; availability and readiness to assist students to do well in the course; timely and fair grading of assignments and exams; and respectful treatment of students. In turn I expect from you: 1) regular attendance and participation in class; 2) completion of the reading for the class for which it is assigned and readiness to discuss it; 3) respect for the opinions of other students; 4) on-time completion of work--with notice in advance if you are unable for legitimate reasons to meet an assigned deadline or take a scheduled test. Please remember that the Rutgers-Camden catalog states that for every hour of class time, students are expected to put in two hours of work outside of class. I expect this.

Office Hours and Tutorial Assistance

Tuesday and Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 am and 3:15-4:00 p.m. Other times and days by appointment. I encourage questions and other communications by email; my email address is wood@camden.rutgers.edu. However, please do not email me questions whose answers are easily available at the course website. My homepage is at http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/~wood/