Assignment
Fresh off of our work on power, let's dig into issues of social stratification and economic disparity. Social stratification is the "systematic process of categorizing and ranking people on a scale of social worth such that one's ranking affects life chances in unequal ways." That definition is an incredibly powerful statement, but the truth is that every society is stratified. The only way to understand the social development of a particular society is to study its history and progression. How has the United States created its economic and social structures? The birth of our nation is rooted in violence, economic struggle, resistance to authority, and the fight for the rights of some over others. No nation is infallible. Governments are created by and maintained by human beings who are inherently flawed. The good news is that this also makes societies dynamic and malleable. It means that governments can change and respond to the will of the people. We have the power to change what harms us and support what makes us strong and decent. As a democracy, the U.S. relies on its citizens to monitor and correct the behavior of the government. It relies on its people to ensure that our nation is striving toward the ideals that we profess.
For this module, please do the following:
• Read and review the Social Class / Social Stratification power point.
• Read and review the Economy and Society power point.
• Watch this short YouTube video clip "Systemic Racism Explained" which briefly explains Systemic Racism:
So, generally, the next assignment for this module has to do with watching a documentary and doing an activity related to that documentary. Unfortunately, the documentary is temporarily unavailable, and frankly, there is no substitute. (If you ever get the chance to watch the PBS documentary The Chinese Exclusion Act, please do. I believe that you will find it incredibly valuable.) This is, however, a great opportunity to allow you to explore what's important to you. So often students don't feel that they are able to make choices regarding the focus of their education. Take this opportunity to expand your education and empower yourself. You'll find instructions for the final assignment of this module below. ***
• Research concepts related to social stratification and economic disparity that are of interest to you. Then, create a list of the twenty most important and interesting things that you learned on your journey. Place your assignment in the appropriate assignment folder by midnight on 10/3. Social stratification refers to a society's categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity, gender, occupation, social status, or derived power (social and political). You can focus in on one area of stratification or explore many different issues. You'll find further instructions (and potential topics to explore) below.
INSTRUCTIONS: As you read and reflect upon your social stratification/economic disparity research, you will create a list of the 20 most important things you learned. Each list item must be two to four complete sentences in length and should illustrate that you have not only read about your topic, but that you have further considered the significance of what you read and can convey the importance of the knowledge presented. Therefore, do not simply make a list of terms or facts. Don't just summarize information. Your writing should tell me what was interesting and important to you to learn about and why. Discuss why the topic stood out for you (because you: understand the topic/ don't understand the topic/ agree with the issue / disagree with the issue/ would like to know more about the topic, etc.). Discuss why you think certain information is important. Why should society care about this issue? Why should people understand it? I have created a list of potential topics below. You are welcome to use any of the topics listed but are not required to. I'm providing topics to help you brainstorm and to inspire you. You can deep dive into one area of research or consider information from multiple areas. Your research simply needs to relate to social stratification and economic disparity.
POTENTIAL TOPICS TO EXPLORE:
Age Prejudice and Discrimination Caste and Inherited Status
Class and Race Class Conflict
Class Consciousness Class, Status, and Power
Culture of Poverty Discrimination
Distributive Justice Economic, Cultural, and Social Capital
Educational Inequality Equality of Opportunity
Family Structure and Poverty Feminization of Poverty
Gender Inequality/Stratification Global Income Inequality
Health and Social Class Homelessness
Horizontal and Vertical Mobility Inter- & Intra- generational Mobility
Life Chances and Resources Measuring the Effects of Mobility
Meritocracy Occupational and Career Mobility
Poverty Privilege
Race/Ethnicity and Stratification Social Inequality
Residential Segregation School Segregation and Desegregation
Socioeconomic Status, Health, and Mortality Elite Culture
Sex Based Wage Gap and Comparable Worth
POTENTIAL QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE...
1. What is meritocracy? To what extent do you think the United States is a meritocracy?
2. Why do most Americans self-identify as middle class?
3. Why are conflict theorists deeply critical of social stratification?
4. Differentiate between extreme and relative poverty.
5. Social mobility can take many forms. Discuss different types of social mobility.
6. What is meant by the cycle of poverty? How does it operate? How is poverty feminized? How does the feminization of poverty impact the cycle of poverty?
7. How does social class impact a person's life?
8. How are we socialized to view social class in America? How do these perceptions shape social policies?
9. What impact does your identity and background have on the choices you make?
10. What impact do societal institutions have on you and the choices that you can make?