SOC 209(F) Social Stratification in a Changing World
This course is designed to explore, both theoretically and empirically, the theme of change in social structure and inequalities in contemporary modern societies. One's position in social space determines one's consciousness, identity, values, attitudes, interest, and behavior. While inequality is ubiquitous, there are cross-cultural variations in the definition of status and consequent distribution of social conditions and opportunities among individuals. In modern societies, social space and individual status are closely interconnected with the economic system, and consecutively with the occupational structure and relations evolving from it. Currently, globalization and technological developments are rapidly transforming societies and patterns of inequality. In stable societies, changes in the economic and social sphere are evolutionary in nature. However, these changes come at an accelerated pace and are typically accompanied with initial chaos and turbulences in societies undergoing major systemic transformation (or even revolution). These societies provide excellent opportunities to study social change and its impact on social stratification. Therefore this course will also focus on the systemic transition from state socialism to market democracies in Central Europe since 1989 to examine the vicissitudes of social stratification in a constantly changing world.
Format: lecture/class seminar. Requirements: participation, midterm, several short response papers, 10 page final term paper.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit 25 (expected: 15).
Hour: RULIKOVA