SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY
Social Stratification and Inequality
SOCG 201: Term II, 2008-2009
Instructor:
Office:
Tel:
Email:
Location:
Time:
Office Hours:
Paul Y. Chang
SOSS, 4096
6828-1905
paulchang@smu.edu.sg
SOSS, Seminar Room 2-3
Tuesday 8:30-11:45am OR Thursday 12:00-3:25pm
Wednesday 2-3:00
Course Overview
In this course we will cover the different ways social scientists conceptualize and study social, economic
and political inequality. The course starts with definitions and classical theories of stratification and ends
with ideas about how to move towards a more egalitarian society. Throughout the course we will look at
how societies are hierarchically structured based on salient social categories including class, race, and
gender as well as exploring how these three social categories interact. Also, given the pace of
globalization and the increasing interconnections between societies and persons, we will cover issues of
global inequality and stratification.
Course Requirements
Students are expected to complete all reading assignments prior to attending the lecture corresponding to
the assignment. Lectures will not summarize readings but will build upon them. Students are expected to
participate in the Question and Answer section following the lecture. Students will take one midterm
examination and a final examination. In addition, students will write up summaries and critiques for a
portion of the reading assignments and are expected to lead group discussions. Finally, students will
conduct group projects analyzing a particular case study, produce a group project report and present the
findings of their projects to the rest of the class at the end of the semester.
Class Sessions
Duration of classes is 3 hours per week. For each class, we will have a lecture followed by a Q&A
session. Also, each class will include group discussion and/or supervised group project meetings.
Assessment and Evaluation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Class Participation (10%)
Response Papers (10%)
Midterm Examination (30%)
Final Examination (30%)
Group Project Report (20%)
Textbook
Robert A. Rothman. 2005. Inequality and Stratification: Race, Class and Gender (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.
Supplementary Readings
From: Grusky, David B. and Szonja Szelényi (eds.). 2007. The Inequality Reader: Contemporary and Foundational
Readings in Race, Class, and Gender. Boulder: Westview Press.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Chapter 12: G. William Domhoff. “Who Rules America? Power and Politics” (pp. 99-104).
Chapter 32: Judith Lorber. “The Social Construction of Gender” (pp. 276-282).
Chapter 39: Trond Petersen and Laurie A. Morgan. “The Within-Job Gender Wage Gap” (pp. 343-350).
Chapter 40: Paula England. “Devaluation and the Pay of Comparable Male and Female Occupations”
(pp. 352-356).
Chapter 50: Jay Macleod. “Ain’t No Makin’ It: Leveled Aspirations in a Low-Income Neighborhood”
(pp. 468-483).
Chapter 61: Joseph E. Stiglitz. “Globalism’s Discontents” (pp. 576-584).
Chapter 3: Claude S. Fischer, Michael Hout, Martin Sanchez Jankowski, Samuel R. Lucas, Ann Swidler,
and Kim Voss. “Inequality by Design” (pp. 18-21).
Available: Course Reader
From: Sachs, Jeffrey D. 2005. The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. London: Penguin Books.
1.
Chapter 1: “A Global Family Portrait” (pp. 5-25).
Available: Course Reader
2.
3.
Chapter 2: “The Spread of Economic Prosperity” (pp. 26-50).
Chapter 3: “Why Some Countries Fail to Thrive” (pp. 51-73).
Available: Book at Course Reserves
From: Grusky, David B. and Ravi Kanbur (eds.). 2006. Poverty and Inequality. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
1.
Chapter 6: Douglas S. Massey. “Race, Class, and Markets: Social Policy in the 21st Century” (pp. 117-132).
Available: Course Reader
From: Annual Review of Sociology
1.
Waters, Mary C. and Karl Eschbach. 1995. “Immigration and Ethnic and Racial Inequality in the United
States.” Annual Review of Sociology. Vol. 21: 419-446.
Available:
http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.smu.edu.sg/pqdweb?did=6934070&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=44274&RQ
T=309&VName=PQD
Course Schedule
WEEK
1
6, Jan. 09
TOPICS
READING ASSIGNMENT
Introduction to Course. Conceptual Issues.
Formation of Student Groups.
No readings
The Power Ladder: Class, Race, and Gender
Rothman: Chapters 1and 7
Domhoff: Chapter 12
Classical Approaches to Inequality and
Stratification
Rothman: Chapters 2 and 4
Economic Inequality
Rothman: Chapters 5 and 10
Gender Inequality
Film: “Singapore Dreaming”
Lorber: Chapter 32
Petersen and Morgan: Chapter 39
England: Chapter 40
Racial Inequality
Midterm Review
Waters and Eschbach: jstor article
Macleod: Chapter 50
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
No readings
8, Jan. 09
2
13, Jan. 09
15, Jan. 09
3
20, Jan. 09
22, Jan. 09
4
3, Feb. 09
29, Jan. 09
5
*7, Feb. 09
5, Feb. 09
6
10, Feb. 09
12, Feb. 09
7
17, Feb. 09
19, Feb. 09
8
24, Feb. 09
26, Feb. 09
Recess
WEEK
9
3, March 09
TOPICS
READING ASSIGNMENT
Global Inequality: Part I
Sachs: Chapters 1 and 2
Global Inequality: Part II
Film: “Babel”
Sachs: Chapter 3
Stiglitz: Chapter 61
Consequences of Inequality
Rothman: Chapters 8 and 9
What to do about it?
Towards a More Egalitarian Society
Rothman: Chapter 11
Fischer et al.: Chapter 3
Massey: Chapter 6
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
No readings
5, March 09
10
10, March 09
12, March 09
11
17, March 09
19, March 09
12
24, March 09
26, March 09
13
31, March 09
2, April 09
14
7, April 09
Concluding Remarks and Final Review
2, April 09
15
*15, April 09
(Wednesday:
9:00-12:00pm)
FINAL EXAMINATION
No readings