Sociology 4035 Summer, 1992

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

Professor: Martha E. Gimenez
Office: Hunter 206
Telephone: 492-7080
Office Hours: Th 2:00 - 3:00 and by appointment

Course Description: The study of theories of social, race/ethnic, sex, and age stratification. Social inequality in the United States will be examined in a comparative context, giving emphasis to the analysis of resulting conflicts.

Course Requirements: This is an intensive lecture and discussion, course. Students will be expected to attend all classes, read all assignments and come prepared to participate in class discussions and structured debates. Lectures will be brief and focused on theoretical analysis and integration, setting the background for students' participation.

Grades will be based on the following:

  1. Class participation: 20 percent.
  2. Midterm exam (July 27): 40 percent
  3. Final exam (August 13): 40 percent

REQUIRED READINGS

Book

Harold Kerbo, Social Stratification and Inequality. Class Conflict in Historical and Comparative Perspective. McGraw- Hill, Inc. 1991. Second Edition.

Articles (Available on reserve at Norlin Library)

Martha E. Gimenez, "The Class Nature of Poverty in the United States: The Immiseration of the U.S. Working Class." pp. 185-196 in Berch Berberoglu, ed., Critical Perspectives in Sociology. Kendall-Hunt Publishing Co., 1991.

Elaine Enarson, ""Women's Realities, Women's Choices: An Introduction to Theories of Women's Oppression." pp.221-240 in Berch Berberoglu, ed., op. cit. above.

Michael Omi and Harold Winant, "Racial Formations." pp.26-35 in Paula S. Rothenberg, ed., Race, Class, & Gender in the United States. St. Martin's Press, 1992.

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL READINGS

Denny Braun, THE RICH GET RICHER. The Rise of Income Inequality in the United States and the World. Chicago: Nelson-Hall Publishers, 1991.

Kevin Philips, THE POLITICS OF RICH AND POOR. Wealth and the American Electorate in the Reagan Aftermath. New York: Random House, 1990.

Paula Rothenberg, ed., RACE, CLASS & GENDER IN THE UNITED STATES. An Integrated Study. New York: St Martin's Press, 1992.

Scheduled Readings

July 14-17 Kerbo, chs. 1-3 

July 20-24          Kerbo, chs. 3,4,5
                    Articles by Enarson, and Omi and Wynant

July 27-31          Kerbo, chs. 6, 7, 8

August 3-7          Kerbo, chs. 9, 10, 11
                    Article by Gimenez

August 10-12        Kerbo, chs 12, 15 - Review

August 13           FINAL EXAM