Approved form for 1999-2000

DIVERSITY/MULTICULTURAL COURSE PROPOSAL
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

College: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Department:Sociology and Anthropology
Course Abbreviation & Number for the Catalog: Soclgy 3010
Course Title: Social Stratification
Credit Hours: 3

Catalog Description (exactly as you wish it to appear in the catalog):

The study of social stratification and inequality in the United States and globally. Focus on economic class and status groups, such as gender, race-ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and physical ability.

Prerequisite: Soclgy 1010.

All courses approved for this requirement must have human diversity/multiculturalism as a major aspect of the class and also must be directly relevant to present day society, as demonstrated by the syllabus and student assignments.

Courses must also meet at least one of the following criteria: (Check all that are applicable.)

X The course is comparative in nature (multi-cultural or cross-population).

X The course treats multiple aspects of diversity and/or culture (such as race, gender, age, class, etc.) in a single area of study (e.g. the American West, the health care setting, literature, etc).

The course is specific to a particular group of people or culture that is not present or is under-represented in the general social-economic-political framework of the United States.

Attach a course syllabus or outline with sufficient detail that allows the reader to understand the degree to which the requirements are met. If not readily obvious from the syllabus, it may be desirable to attach student assignments or other supplementary material.

Justification:

Social Stratification examines social inequality based on class, race-ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical ability and thus provides students with a comprehensive survey of both dominant and minority groups in the United States. The course also deals with global stratification and emphasizes the effects of economic globalization on American class and status structures.

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Course Title: Social Stratification

Approvals:

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Request Initiated By Date

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Department Chair Date

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College Curriculum Committee Date

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Program Director (if applicable) Date

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Dean of College Date

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Chair, University Curriculum Committee Date

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Associate Provost Date

To prevent unnecessary delays in the process, fill in every space. Incomplete proposals will be returned.

In order to understand how and why these hierarchies continue to exist, we will examine various social processes that produce and maintain privilege and inequality among people; for example, work and occupations, education, the criminal justice system, and the media. We also will discuss, how and in what ways various recent socio-economic developments--e.g., the stock market boom, new information technology, and the Internet--can address class, race, and gender hierarchies.

The course begins with an overview of theories that explain the existence of social classes. In the second part of the course, we will explore race-ethnicity and gender stratification. While most of the classroom examples will deal with the U.S. society, global economic developments both shape and are shaped by what goes on in the United States. Therefore, class discussion will take into account the fact that we live in a global economy and that our local concerns always implicate global forces.

Class Objectives

Articles on Ereserve listed individually in the course schedule. To access Ereserve articles, go to: http://ereserve.weber.edu/cgi-bin/eres/view.pl

Course Format

The course consists of lectures, assigned readings, classroom discussions, written and oral assignments (both in and out of class). In general, classroom discussion will be open and everyone's views will be respected. Our goal is to critically consider and evaluate different view points without offending anyone. For the exams, students are expected to be familiar with the substantive contents of all class materials: assigned readings, lectures, guest lectures, films shown in class, and class discussions.

Evaluation

Exams (each 25%)

There will be three non-cumulative exams. The third exam will be given on the day of the prescheduled final exam (12/13). You may choose to take the third exam as a regular exam or as a short term paper (approximately 5-10 pages) that is due on the exam date. The choice of whether you will take a final exam or write a term paper will have to be made before the second exam. Please discuss your choice with me.

In-class presentation (15%)

During the last week of classes, each students will prepare and give a short presentation on a self-selected question/problem concerning social stratification. I will provide detailed instructions on how to choose a question and the structure of the presentation on October 6, right after the first exam.

Class participation (10%)

While I do not record your class attendance, your participation in class discussions will be evaluated throughout the semester. Needless to say, I invite and encourage well thought-out comments that derive from the readings and use the concepts learned in this course. Also, small, in-class written assignments will be evaluated in this category.

In sum, the break-down of your final grade is the following:

Exams 1-3 75%

Presentation 15%

Class participation 10%

100%

Evaluation Criteria

WSU Student Code

Students are expected to be familiar with the WSU Student Code and abide by it. The Code may be reviewed on line at http://www.weber.edu/ppm/6-22.htm (pay specific attention to Section 4D). All necessary steps will be taken to enforce the Student Code to guarantee fairness to all students.

Systems of inequality: History and theory

9/1 ISSUE: Systems that shape opportunity and access to resources: class, race-ethnicity, gender, age, physical disability, and sexual orientation

READING: Syllabus, Rossides Ch. 1.

9/3 ISSUE: Is inequality inevitable? Stratification in history

READING: Rossides Ch.2

9/6 Labor Day, no class

9/8 How is stratification explained? Theories: Liberalism, Functionalism, Marxism

READING: Rossides Ch. 4

***Last day to add classes with department approval***

Sources and symptoms of stratification

9/13 ISSUE: Global stratification and how it implicates the U.S.?

READING: Ch. 3

9/15 ISSUE: Work/occupations as sources of status and inequality; the corporate class

READING: Ch. 6

9/17 ISSUE: Status: how do wealth, income, and education shape our opportunities?

READING: Ch. 7

9/20 ISSUE: How does education influence social mobility?

READING: Ch. 9

READING: Ch. 8

Stratification cultures: American elites

9/27 ISSUE: Life styles: consumption, leisure, and prestige

READING: Ch. 12

READING: Ch. 11

10/1 ISSUE: Prestige groups: A view from the top

READING: Ch. 13

10/4 Exam 1

10/6 ISSUE: How is social inequality maintained? The role of mass media

READING: Ch. 10

***Instructions for class presentations given out***

10/8 Are the media agents of the ruling class? Processes of legitimization; hegemony

Political participation, social policy, and the law

10/11 ISSUE: Who votes? Class and political participation

READING: Ch. 14

10/13 ISSUE: What can social policies accomplish in a class society? Social security and taxation

READING: Ch. 15

10/15 ISSUE: Social policy issues: Poverty in America

READING: Ch. 16

Inequalities by race-ethnicity and gender

10/22 ISSUE: How do class, race, and gender interact to shape our lives and opportunities? A theoretical overview

10/25 ISSUE: Racial-Ethnic minority groups: African Americans and social mobility

READING: Ch. 17

10/27 ISSUE: African Americans and education

11/1 ISSUE: Native Americans and the U.S. class structure

11/3 ISSUE: Minorities of Hispanic origin

READING: Ch. 18

11/5 ISSUE: Is white the color of privilege? White Americans in the U.S. class structure

11/8 Exam 2 .

11/10 ISSUE: Gender stratification: Theoretical explanations

READING: Ch. 19

11/12 ISSUE: Sources and processes of gender inequality: Education

11/15 ISSUE: Gender inequality, work, and family: History of the gender division of labor

11/17 ISSUE: How is gender inequality maintained in the work force? Occupational sex segregation

11/22 ISSUE: How is gender inequality maintained? Culture and the media

11/26 Thanksgiving Holiday, no class

Other systems of stratification: Age, sexual orientation, and physical ability

11/29 ISSUE: Age stratification and the every day experiences of the elderly

12/1 ISSUE: Interplay of race, gender and sexual orientation: A case study of black gay men

12/3 Student presentations begin

12/6 Presentations

12/8 Presentations

12/10 Presentations and class overview