Social

Stratification SOC 3540-01 William Paterson University Fall 2012 Schedule: Location: Professor: Mondays & Fridays 9:30-10:45am 214 Raubinger Hall Dr. Wendy Christensen

Office Hours: Mondays 11-12pm, Wednesdays 3:30-4:30pm, and by appointment. Office Location: 456 Raubinger Hall Email: ChristensenW@wpunj.edu The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life. Jane Addams Course Description: This course introduces the sociological study of inequality in the United States. Social inequality is the unequal distribution of valued resources. While some inequality is the result of individual differences in ability and effort, much of it is related to societal structures. Social stratification refers to the institutionalized hierarchies in power, wealth, and status between categories of persons. Together we will explore the social, institutional, and cultural patterns that underlie race, class, and gender inequalities in American society. We will use sociological theories of stratification to understand power, intersectionality, elitism, poverty, social mobility, status attainment, socialization, and family structure. During the course we will pay attention to inequalities at all levels of the social world from macro hierarchies and trends, to the micro every day experiences of inequality by individuals. Course Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: Describe the basic sociological concepts and theories applicable to intergroup, minority-majority relationships. Identify and describe the every day interpersonal elements present in minority- majority interactions. Identify and describe structural components necessary to maintain differential power relationships between minority and majority groups. Describe the sociohistorical processes affecting selected major minority group experiences. Conduct an investigation of a selected aspect of minority group experience. Examine actions from the perspective of social responsibility. Demonstrate heightened sensitivity to political and cultural issues, including consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Describe how organized citizens can attain and use power in society.

Required Texts:

Ore, Tracy. (2010). The Social Construction of Difference and Inequality: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality. 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Ehrenreich, Barbara. (2001). Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Holt Press. Massey, Douglas and Nancy Denton. (1993). American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass. Harvard University Press. Additional readings will be available on the course website. Readings must be completed before class on the day that they are due. If a reading is listed under November 11 then it must be completed before class on November. You will need to complete the readings the day before class in order to prepare for class discussion. I reserve the right to add (and to omit) readings during the course of the semester. I will always let you know the week before if I am making any changes to the readings. Email is a great way to reach me with any questions. I will respond to your email within 24 hours (in other words, do not count on a reply to last minute emails about assignments). You are strongly encouraged to come to office hours at least once during the semester, or make an appointment to see me at another time. If my office door is open at any other time, youre welcome to stop by. COURSE POLICIES:

Reading Policies:

How to get in touch with your professor:

Grades: Your final grade will be made up of the following: Assignments: 1. Three Short Scrapbooks: During the first 4 weeks of the semester you will write 4 short, 1 page papers that relate not-from-class artifacts to our course work to the concepts of race, class, and gender. See the hand out for details. a. Race Scrapbook: Due Friday 9/21 b. Class Scrapbook: Due Friday 9/28 c. Gender Scrapbook: Due Friday 10/5 2. Two Analysis Papers: During the second half of the semester you will write two analysis papers. To do this, you will need to choose a neighborhood, town, or community for analysis. Each paper will require you to collect and summarize readily available statistics and information about the community you choose, and analyze inequality in those Three Scrapbook Papers Two Analysis Papers Attendance Online Participation Final Presentation 15% 40% 20% 20% 5%

communities. Each paper will be 5 pages long, and a draft of the paper is due the week before in class. At the end of the semester, you will present these findings to the class. More details to follow. a. Minimum Wage/Living Wage Paper: Draft: Friday 11/2 Final: Friday 11/7 Draft: Friday 12/7 Final: Friday 12/14

b. Poverty & Inequality Paper:

3. Weekly Online Discussion Participation: Beginning Week 2 of the semester, each student is required to participate in the discussion on Lore (www.lore.com) at least once before the end of the day on Sunday. What counts as a post? o o o A question, informed by the class material that you would like to pose to the class. An answer, informed by the class material, to the professors question, or to another students question. A link to a news article, blog post, image, video etc. that is related to that weeks material, and a brief description of why it is related. Anything that is too brief (I agree or good question etc.), or anything that is not explicitly tied to course material. Lore signup: To join Lore, simply go to join.lore.com/FTGVJ2 You will be asked to sign up for an account and create a password. Please create a profile and upload a picture.

What does not count as a post? o o

Online Paper Submission: All papers must be submitted through the Lore website. To submit a paper online, go to the course Timeline, and scroll to the appropriate assignment. Click Submit to upload the paper. Papers must be double-spaced and use a traditional 12-point font. Papers must be in one of the following formats: .doc .docx .pdf .txt or .rtf. Make sure that your name is on your electronic submissions.

Late and missed assignments: Work must be submitted online when it is due. If you have trouble accessing the Lore website, you may email me the assignment by the due date. Late assignments will rarely be accepted and only with prior consent (given on a case-by-case basis), and will lose a letter grade for each day they are late. Grading: You will receive your grades and feedback on your papers through the Lore website (only you and the professor can see your grades on Lore). Final Grading Scale: A 93-100 A- 90-92.9 B+ 87-89.9 B 83-86.9

B- 80-82.9 C+ 77-79.9 C 73-76.9

C- 70-72.9 D 60-69.9 F <60

Attendance: Attendance is required. You may miss two classes without penalty. Each absence beyond the second will result in your grade being lowered. Arriving late three times is equivalent to 1 absence. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the notes and assignments from another student. Classroom Rules: You are expected to arrive to class with the reading material, prepared to engage in the classroom. Please be courteous of your classmates: do not eat noisy food, turn off cell phones, do not text during class, and refrain from having side conversations with your classmates. You may use laptops and iPads/tablets as long as they are used appropriately and are not a distraction to yourself or your classmates. Atmosphere: In this class we will discuss issues that are highly controversial. We all come from different perspectives, and each of us brings valuable experience and knowledge to the classroom. It is likely we will disagree with one each other. I welcome and encourage lively classroom discussion. Disagreements should not take the form of personal attacks. We need to cultivate a space of mutual respect and trust. Disagree with each others ideas and the evidence used in their arguments, and respect each other as people. Any student disrupting the learning environment will not be tolerated. If You Need Help: Do not hesitate to contact me if you need assistance. The key to success is to head off problems before they turn into emergencies. The sooner you get in touch with me about an issue, the sooner we can work to solve a problem together. Special accommodations: If you require special accommodations to participate in, or to complete the work in this course, please let me know within the first two weeks of class so that we can make the necessary arrangements. Academic honesty: I fully expect you to follow the William Paterson University Academic Integrity Policy. Anytime you are required to turn in individual work I expect that what you turn in will be written solely by you and will be unique from that of your classmates. It is the policy of the William Paterson University Sociology Department that, with documented evidence, a student who cheats on an exam or paper for the first time will fail the course and record of the occurrence will be sent to the department Chair and the relevant Dean. If a student cheats a second time, they will fail the course and be expelled from the sociology major and reported to the relevant Dean. Please ask if you have any questions about what is and is not acceptable. The Academic Integrity Policy can be found here: http://www.wpunj.edu/cte/wpu-academic-integrity-policy.dot SCHEDULE: Week 1: 9/7 Class cancelled. Monday 9/10 Friday 9/14 o Read: Constructing Differences and Chapter 47 Making Systems of Privilege Visible by Wildman and Davis in The Social Construction of Difference and Inequality Week 2: Welcome! What is social stratification?

Week 3: Race & Ethnicity

Monday 9/17 o Read: Chapter 1 Racial Formations by Omi and Winant in SCDI and I Am a Racist by Abby Ferber, Huffington Post, 2008 [link on Lore] Read: Chapter 3 How Did Jews Become White Folks by Brodkin in SCDI Due Online by 12am: Race Scrapbook

Friday 9/21 o o

Week 4: Social Class Monday 9/24 o Read: Chapter 6 Media Magic: Making Class Invisible by Mantsios in SCDI and Census: 1 In 2 Americans is Poor or Low-Income Associated Press Dec. 15, 2011 [link on Lore] Read: Chapter 7 Doubly Divided: The Racial Wealth Gap by Lui in SCDI and Fear of a Black President by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic, Sept, 2012 [link on Lore] Due Online by 12am: Class Scrapbook

Friday 9/28 o o

Week 5: Sex & Gender Monday 10/1 o Read: Chapter 9 The Social Construction of Gender by Lorber in SCDI and Whats So Bad About a Boy Who Wants to Wear a Dress? by Ruth Padawer, The New York Times [link on Lore] Read: Chapter 12 Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity by Kimmel in SCDI Due Online by 12am: Gender Scrapbook

Friday 10/5 o o

Week 6: Institutions: The Family Monday 10/8 o Read: Chapter 18 Families on the Fault Line: Americas Working Class Speaks about the Family, the Economy, Race, and Ethnicity by Rubin in SCDI and Two Classes in America, Divided by I Do New York Times by Jason DeParle [link on Lore] Read: Chapter 20 Gay and Lesbian Families Are Here by Stacey in SCDI

Friday 10/12 o

Week 7: Institutions: Work and Economy Monday 10/15 o o Read: Chapter 27 Discrimination in a Low-Wage Labor Market: A Field Experiment by Pager, Western, Bonikowski in SCDI Read: Chapter 29 Cause of Death: Inequality by Reuss in SCDI

Friday 10/19

Read: Introduction: Getting Ready, and Chapter 1: Serving in Florida Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich

Week 8: Institutions: Work and Economy Monday 10/22 o o Read: Chapter 2: Scrubbing in Maine Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich Read: Chapter 3: Selling in Minnesota Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich Friday 10/26

Week 9: Institutions: Work and Economy Monday 10/29 o o o Read: Evaluation Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich Read: Afterward Nickel and Dimed by Ehrenreich Due: Minimum Wage Paper Draft Friday 11/2

Week 10: The State and Public Policy Monday 11/5 o Read: Chapter 30 Welfare Reform, Family Hardship, and Women of Color by Burnham and Chapter 56 I Am Your Welfare Reform by Downy in SCDI Read: Chapter 33 The Effects of Affirmative Action on Other Stakeholders by Reskin and Chapter 34 The Possessive Investment in Whiteness by Lipsitz in SCDI Due: Final Minimum Wage Analysis Paper

Friday 11/9 o o

Week 11: Institutions: Segregation Monday 11/12 o o Read: The Missing Link and The Construction of the Ghetto in American Apartheid Read: The Persistence of the Ghetto in American Apartheid Friday 11/16

Week 12: Institutions: Segregation Monday 11/19 o Read: The Continuing Causes of Segregation in American Apartheid

Week 13: Institutions: Segregation Monday 11/26 o Read: The Creation of Underclass Communities and The Perpetuation of the Underclass in American Apartheid Read: The Perpetuation of the Underclass in American Apartheid

Friday 11/30 o

Week 14: Institutions: Segregation Monday 12/3 o o o Read: The Failure of Public Policy in American Apartheid Read: The Future of the Ghetto in American Apartheid Due: Draft of Poverty & Inequality Paper Friday 12/7

Week 15: Resistance and Social Change Monday 12/10 o Read: Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection by Collins in SCDI Read: Good for the Hood? by Chaddha and Seeing More That Black and White by Martinez in SCDI

Friday 12/14 o

Week 16: Neighborhood Inequality Findings

o 12/17 and 12/21: Student Presentations

o Due 12/21: Poverty & Inequality Paper