Graduate Seminar: Inequalities in Education
SOC 772 Section 001
EGJ (Journalism Building) 223
Thursday 3:30-6:00pm
Dr. Edward Morris, Instructor
Overview:
This seminar will explore sociological research and thought in the area of educational inequality. The course introduces the student to classic and contemporary research on this topic. The primary emphasis will be on various manifestations of educational inequality within and across schools, especially in terms of race, class, and gender. A secondary emphasis will be on connections between schools and other social institutions such as the family and the criminal justice system. The course will focus on primary and secondary schooling, but will also include examinations of higher education. Possible topics include: social reproduction theory and its critiques; cultural capital; the family-school relationship, including parental involvement and family background; ability grouping/tracking; oppositional culture and school engagement; school discipline, punishment, and violence; rural and urban schooling; and inequality in access to higher education.
Potential Readings
Lareau, Annette. Home Advantage: Social Class and Parental Intervention in Elementary Education
Oakes, Jeannie. Keeping Track: How Schools Structure Inequality
MacLeod, Jay. Ain’t No Makin’ It: Aspirations and Attainment in a Low-Income Neighborhood
Corbett, Michael. Learning to Leave: The Irony of Schooling in a Coastal Community
Devine, John. Maximum Security: The Culture of Violence in Inner-City Schools
Morris, Edward. An Unexpected Minority: White Kids in an Urban School
Pascoe, C.J. Dude, You’re a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School
Conchas, Gilberto. The Color of Success: Race and High Achieving Urban Youth
Kozol, Jonathan. The Shame of the Nation
Lehman, Nicholas. The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy
Additional journal articles will also be made available.
Potential Course Requirements:
(1) Class attendance and participation.
(2) Leading discussion: Each student will be required to lead discussion for one of the week’s readings. This should include providing open-ended questions to provoke and guide discussion.
(3) Reading responses: Students will be required to submit a short response paper (1-2 pages) for 8 of the week’s readings based on your choice.
(4) Final paper: Students will submit a research-based paper concerning a topic of interest to them in the sociology of education. This may include a topic from the course, or something we did not cover. The format of the paper can be a research proposal, literature review, or manuscript based on your own original research. The paper should be of sufficient quality to be submitted as a research proposal, conference paper, or early draft of a manuscript for publication.
