I spend a long time designing my courses. You’ve seen on here my social psych syllabus. That one flew together compared to the pure art of my inequality classes, where I weave podcasts, short stories, poetry, and film throughout. By the time I get done, I want to hang it on the wall highlighted with some artistic lighting. Not that my students appreciate it, but there you go. They seem to be my creative outlet.
Why am I bringing this up?
I’m working on a 400 level stratification course and I wanted to shamelessly plumb the collective knowledge of the online sociology rock stars to suggest books. I am using Scott Sernau’s Worlds Apart: Social Inequalities in a Global Economy for the main text. Looking through the many texts that I requested, this one does a great job of addressing intersectionalities (without making that the pure focus — which is important because this is supposed to be more of a class-based course) and how inequalities are truly a global phenomenon (and America’s role in it). Furthermore, it does this while being very readable. I actually got pulled into reading much more of it than I had planned, good sign.
Sernau doesn’t do a great job explaining the different models of inequality. His explanation of neoliberalism was only two paragraphs long and didn’t make tons of sense. I figure that’s not a big deal, because I’ll just add additional readings on that material and lecture over it.
What I’m looking for are books about different class experiences — poverty, middle class, wealthy — probably mostly in terms of America. I would like one that perhaps delves into globalization. These are the ones I’m considering:
- Chutes and Ladders: Navigating the Low-Wage Labor Market (Newman)
- A few readings from Class Matters (NY Times)
- Planet of Slums (Davis)
- No Logo: No Space, No Choice, No Jobs (Klein)
While I’m versed in the classics, theories, and articles — I don’t know as much about current cutting edge work going on in this area. It’s just not truly my area. That’s why I’m asking you all to help me out. Any new works that I should consider? Anything you think a stratification course would be incomplete without? Any book that addresses the weakness of Sarnau while also giving an interesting look into the social world wins extra points!
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What about “Ain’t No Makin’ It”? I think there’s an updated 3rd edition and the intro does an excellent job explaining social capital. Plus, it’s very readable.
Comment by jamy October 18, 2009 @ 3:18 pmOh, I didn’t know that there was a new edition! Wonderful. Thank you.
Comment by pitse1eh October 18, 2009 @ 3:43 pmI second the 3rd edition of “Ain’t No Makin’ It.” I used it in the spring for my education course, and it is wonderful. You might also consider “Black Wealth/White Wealth” by Oliver and Shapiro, but that may focus too much on race for what you’re looking for. In my experience, wealth inequality is not given as much emphasis in courses on strat. and class than it should be, especially regarding black/white disparities in the U.S.
Comment by Practicing Idealist October 27, 2009 @ 3:06 pmI recommend: Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams by Alfred Lubrano (http://www.amazon.com/Limbo-Blue-Collar-Roots-White-Collar-Dreams/dp/0471714399). It’s a great read and chronicles people who grew up in working-class/poor environments and now find themselves in another class and how difficult that transition is in their lives. It’s an interesting discussion for students because it does suggest that indeed some (though statistically few) are able to improve upon the conditions they are born into, but it is at some cost and it is often tenuous/fragile. I loved the book and many of my students (who I’ve encouraged to read it outside of class/over summers) could relate as several are the first in their family to go to college and thus are often on a very different path than their parents/grandparents.
I haven’t used it in any of my classes yet, but I may pull it into my Race, Class, and Gender course this upcoming semester as it’s a new prep.
Comment by Jannette November 12, 2009 @ 5:07 pmYou could also look into Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed book — not quite an authentic experience, but she certainly highlights the difficulties of working-class, minimum wage workers and I think by seeing her stepping out of that role at times (and acknowledging her privilege), it is one students also enjoy that can be tied into a bigger picture.
Comment by Jannette November 12, 2009 @ 5:10 pmI’m trying to stay away from r/c/g texts, since I’ll be teaching r/c/g probably to the same students that I teach strat too. Though, along those lines, I’m currently reading Inside Toyland which is wonderful. I may assign the article from this for strat.
To update, I am using:
No Logo
Falling Behind
and the new edition of Ain’t No Making It.
I used to teach Nickle and Dimed years ago for social problems and students love it. But a good proportion of my students are reading that book for another course (probably about 50% of both my Intro classes) and they universally hate it. I have no idea why! They do have to read a short part of it for intro, so I’m going to ask them more about it when that section comes up.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Comment by pitse1eh November 14, 2009 @ 1:37 am