Social Stratification

Course Number: SOCI 112, Course Code: 14122 (Spring 2006)
Lectures: Tuesday & Thursday, 2:00-3:15, Peabody 218
Professor: Philip N. Cohen Personal web page: http://www.unc.edu/~pnc
Course web page: http://www.unc.edu/~pnc/strat/
Email:pnc@unc.edu
Phone: (919) 843-4791
Office: Hamilton Hall 270
Office hours: Wednesdays, 1:00-2:00 p.m. and by appointment
 Teaching assistant: Jamie Lewis Email: jamielewis@unc.edu
Office: Hamilton 252.
Office hours: Tuesday 3:30-4:30.
Introduction

 This course is an introduction to the study of social inequality. We will briefly cover some theories of stratification with a focus on Karl Marx, on our way to more in-depth concentration of several specific areas: poverty and welfare, the criminal justice system, the education system, and family dynamics. Along the way, we will explore the relationship between race/ethnicity, gender and class inequalities, trends in economic inequality, and some responses to inequality. The course includes lecture/discussion meetings twice a week, which will provide a forum for interaction and debate on the material and the issues raised in class. Finally, students will write a term paper, in two parts: first on media depictions of a specific issue raised in class, and then offering your own views on that issue, drawing both on course materials and some outside research.

Readings

 The following books are required reading for the course. In addition to a textbook, this course uses both classic work vital to all sociological study of inequality and recent high-quality scholarship and journalism. They are all available at the student bookstore on campus, and widely available at other locations (please make sure you have the right editions).
Issue paper, Discussion, Exams and Grading

 Issue paper -- The paper will be in two parts. In the first part, students will analyze a media portrayal of an issue raised by one or more of the authors we will read. That should be 2-3 pages, briefly describing the issue and then commenting on how a newspaper, magazine, or news website covers it. This part is due April 11. The final paper, about 10 pages (2,500 words) can include the first part, but will go further, integrating course readings and a limited amount of outside research to support an argument about the issue you have chosen. The point is to develop an argument of your own, supported by the course text and some additional research. We will cover the assignment in more detail in lecture and discussion sections. The final paper is due April 25. The two parts of the issue paper account for about 30% of the grade.

Discussion -- Attendance and participation in class sessions are mandatory for all students in the course. We will use attendance, short assignments, or quizzes to monitor student participation in class. Participation in class sessions accounts for about 20% of the grade.

Exams -- There will be a midterm and a final exam. Both will include a combination of multiple choice and essay questions. The midterm accounts for about 20% of the grade, and the final accounts for about 30% of the grade.

Academic honesty -- All students must be familiar with the University's policy on Academic Dishonesty. The professor and teaching assistant in the course are required to uphold and enforce the rules against all forms of academic dishonesty. There is zero tolerance for academic dishonesty in this course.

Schedule and lecture notes

Please note lecture notes are not necessarily complete, and are not a substitute for attending class or getting notes from someone who did. Topic labels for each day refer to the readings assigned, not necessarily the material covered in the lectures.