Class Inequality
Sociology 322, Winter Semester 2012
Section 1: B030 JFSB on T Th at 09:30 am - 10:45 am
Instructor: Benjamin Gibbs
Office: 2032 JFSB
Office Hours: M W 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Office Phone: 801-422-8284 (2-8284 if on campus)
Email: benjamin_gibbs@byu.edu
Texts & Materials
Required
CATEGORICALLY UNEQUAL: THE AMERICAN
STRATIFICATION SYSTEM
By MASSEY, D
ISBN: 9780871545848
THE CLASSLESS SOCIETY (STUDIES IN SOCIAL
INEQUALITY)
By KINGSTON, P
ISBN: 9780804738064
SOCIAL CLASS: HOW DOES IT WORK?
(ILLUSTRATED ED)
By LAREAU, A (ED)
ISBN: 9780871545077
Vendor
Price
(new)
Price
(used)
BYU
$17.95
$13.50
BYU
$24.95
$18.75
BYU
$24.95
$18.75
Description
Since the inception of sociology, class inequality (i.e. family background) has been a central explanation
for explaining how society arranges scarce resources unfairly. Yet today the concept of class is
theoretically and empirically unclear with some scholars doubting whether class exists at all. In this
course we will explore the concept of class with historic and contemporary literature to unravel whether
class still has a bearing on who gets what and why in today’s society. Specifically, we will explore is
whether class can exist without being immediately visible in society.
Teaching Philosophy
I believe the best way to learn is by discussion in an environment where we feel comfortable being wrong.
Aside from covering the basics, I prefer to dwell on unresolved debates rather than relatively easy
concepts and solutions.
Learning Outcomes
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Learning outcomes
Become more aware of the social inequality around us
Social justice
Participate in and evaluate organizations that are attempting to create greater social justice and
form your own ideas about what can be done about inequality
Social Structure
Understand how social structure contributes to inequality
Research
Understand how sociologists do research on inequality
Connections
Learn to see the connection between sociological concepts and the inequality you observe in
everyday life
Developing Empathy
Developing Christ-like empathy for individuals and groups who struggle in society and find ways
to extend compassion and help
Grading Policies
Missing an exam will automatically result in full letter grade reduction with additional reductions based on
circumstance.
Late papers (including e-mails sent during or after class) will result in a full letter grade reduction. Be sure
to allow enough time for printing and stapling of assignments. Do not send any assignments by e-mail.
My general rule for grading is to return all graded assignments to students 1 week after I have received
them.
Study Habits
1. We will meet 27 times for a total of 50 hours of lecture and discussion.
2. You have approximately 800 pages of reading, or 35 pages due each class.
3. You will read the writings of approximately 20 different authors.
4. You will see approximately 400 PowerPoint slides.
5. You will be asked approximately 30 quiz questions, 150 multiple choice questions and 6 essays
questions. But in total you will prepare for approximately 250 questions.
…in short, you need a strategy.
1. Read. You cannot fully summarize or contend with an idea you have not read. In rare occasions where
the argument of the author is obvious can you skim, but I still read every word of these readings in
preparation for the class (even though I have already read most readings several times). In most cases,
these readings are enduring because the ideas within them are still meaningful for understanding the
important questions about class. Therefore, it is worth your effort to untangle the arguments.
2. Read for ideas, not for completion. Read to understand what the author is saying:
a. Underline interesting, new insights.
b. Box main points, key definition.
c. Circle/question mark confusing ideas.
d. Write questions on the margins to engage in the ideas you are learning.
e. Write summaries in the margins to guide a reread of the article/chapter for tests or paper writing.
Your notes in the reading should give you easy access to the main ideas and key contributions of the
articles weeks after you have read the article/chapter.
3. In class, take notes on new learning. The PowerPoint slides will be available a week before the tests,
so your notes should be centered on new learning, clarifying insights and summary statements either
from lecture, slides or class discussion. As a general rule, do not take notes verbatim on lecture or
discussion material.
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
BC+
C
C-
D+
D
DE
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
59 and lower
Assignment Descriptions
Exams:
There are three exams. Exam 1 (150 pts) covers Massey, Exam 2 (150 pts) covers Marx, Weber,
Giddens and Kingston. The final, or Exam 3 (200 pts) covers Lareau and Conley, selected readings and
will test general knowledge acquired throughout the course.
Quizzes:
Pop quizzes (150 pts) are generally three questions on the assigned readings that will be randomly
administered at the start of any given class. Time allotted is either 10 minutes or whenever the majority of
the class has completed the quiz. There are no make-up quizzes in most circumstances. There will be 10
quizzes plus a bonus quiz that will replace your lowest scoring quiz.
Does Class Exist?:
This project requires you to connect the central questions of the course to interviews with 5 individuals in
the local community. Selection of the appropriate individuals is key to a successful assignment. I suggest
3 student interviews from high, middle, and low class backgrounds, 1 professor who understands the
topic (preferable outside of sociology), and 1 professional in the community familiar with poverty or
wealth. Record the interview (if the individual will allow) but transcriptions are not necessary, only written
quotes pertaining to the topic based on the interview tape or notes is required. A considerable portion of
the grade is linking interview notes with class concepts to determine if there is qualitative evidence for the
existence of class. More details of the assignment will be handed out during the course. (200 pts)
Section Summaries:
At the end of each section you will create a single-spaced, two page summary (front and back) of the
main points and arguments. It will be difficult to distill the readings in a short amount of space but this is
the challenge of the assignment. You will need to address the big questions of each section with evidence
and conclusions drawn from the readings and class discussion. Each summary is worth 25 pts for a total
of 100 pts.
One Sentence Assignment:
You will write a one sentence summary of each reading (see packet). We will create a one sentence
summary of the reading usually at the start of class. Each section will be given 10 pts for a total of 50 pts.
Point Breakdown
Assignments
Points
Exam 1
150
Exam 2
150
Exam 3 (Final)
200
Quizzes
150
Does Class Exist?
200
Section Summaries
100
One Sentence Assignment
Total Points
50
1000
Course Schedule
Date
Topics
Assignments Due
Reading Due
Th - Jan 5
Introduction to Course
-
-
T - Jan 10
Section One: How Does
Stratification Work?
-
Massey Preface and Chapter 1
~25 pages
-
Massey Chapter 2
~20 pages
-
Massey Chapter 3
~60 pages
Interview Ideas
Due
Massey Chapter 4
~45 pages
-
Massey Chapter 5
~70 pages
Th - Jan 26 What is the 21st Century Version of
Gender Stratification? How Is This Different Than Previous Decades?
Massey Chapter 6
~30 pages
Th - Jan 12 What Happened to Eqalitarian
Capitalism?
T - Jan 17
How Has Racial Stratification
Changed?
Th - Jan 19 How Have Immigration Rates
Changed and Why?
T - Jan 24
T - Jan 31
How Does the Political Economy
Influence Income Inequality?
How is America Unequal?
-
Massey Chapter 7
~20 pages
Conclusions
Section One
Summary Due
One Sentence
Assignment Due
Exam #1 in testing center Fri.
(3rd), Sat. (4th), and Mon. (6th).
Section Two: What Is Class?
-
Selected Readings (Marx and
Weber)
~20 pages
What is Structuration?
-
Selected Reading (Giddens)
~10 pages
Section Three: Is Society
Classless? What is the
Evidence?
Section Two
Summary Due
One Sentence
Assignment Due
Kingston Preface and Chapters 1
and 2
~40 pages
-
Kingston Chapters 3 and 4
~50 pages
Th - Feb 23 Is There Class Sentiment? Is There
Evidence of Class Warfare in
Politics?
Kingston Chapters 5 and 6
~30 pages
Th - Feb 2
T - Feb 7
Th - Feb 9
T - Feb 14
Th - Feb 16 How Do We Conceptualize and
Measure Class?
T – Feb 21
No Class
T - Feb 28
Is Class Cultural? Is It Who You
Know?
-
Kingston Chapters 7 and 8
~40 pages
Who Will Be the New Elites?
-
Kingston Chapters 9 and 10 and
Selected Reading
~35 pages
What is Beyond Class?
-
Kingston Chapters 11 and 12
~50 pages
Th - Mar 1
T - Mar 6
Th - Mar 8
T - Mar 13
Th - Mar 15
T - Mar 20
Conclusions
Section Three
Summary Due
One Sentence
Assignment Due
Exam #2 in testing center Fri.
(9th), Sat. (10th) and Mon.
(12th).
Section Four: Is Society
Classless? What is the
Evidence?
-
Lareau and Conley Introduction
~20 pages
How Does Social Class Work?
-
Lareau and Conley Chapter 1
~40 pages
Are There Social Classes?
-
Lareau and Conley Chapter 2
~30 pages
Does Class Exist?
Draft Due
Lareau and Conley Chapter 4
~35 pages
How Does Class Influence Racial
Identity?
-
Lareau and Conley Chapter 5
~30 pages
Does Class Influence Politics?
-
Lareau and Conley Chapter 7
~30 pages
Does Class and Race Influence
Where You Live?
-
Lareau and Conley Chapter 9
~30 pages
Section Five: Reflections on
Class
Section Four
Summary Due
One Sentence
Assignment Due
Lareau and Conley Chapters 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, and 16
~45 pages
Conclusions
Does Class Exist?
Due
One Sentence
Assignment Due
Selected Readings
No class
-
-
Final Exam in Class (B030
JFSB) 7am-10am
Th - Mar 22 How Does Class Influence the
Transition to Adulthood?
T - Mar 27
Th - Mar 29
T - Apr 3
Th - Apr 5
T - Apr 10
Th - Apr 12 Exam Preparation Day
T - Apr 17
-
BYU Honor Code
In keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are expected to be honest in all of their
academic work. Academic honesty means, most fundamentally, that any work you present as your own
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complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid academic
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Writing submitted for credit at BYU must consist of the student's own ideas presented in sentences and
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