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SOC 4302 001 Class, Status, and Power

Fall 2009 Tuesday/Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 p.m. Classroom: CN1.102


Dr. Richard Scotch Email: richard.scotch@utdallas.edu Phone: 972-883-2922
Office: GR3.510 Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. and by appointment
Course Prerequisites: SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology; or
SOC 2319 Race, Gender, and Class; or SOC 3303 Social Theory

Social inequalities of class, status, and power are at the core of the discipline of sociology
and much of social science, and such inequalities intersect in complex ways with race,
ethnicity, and gender. The objective of this course is for students to learn key sociological
concepts and empirical evidence concerning social inequality, with a particular focus on
the contemporary United States. Topics to be considered include the major theoretical
approaches in sociology that seek to explain inequality; the causes and consequences of
social inequality and poverty; and the social policies that address social inequality.

Course requirements include 1) weekly short quizzes covering material from the assigned
readings (approximately 35% of the course grade); 2) biweekly 3-4 page take-home essays
(approximately 35% of the course grade); 3) a group research project culminating in a class
presentation (10% of the course grade); and 4) a comprehensive take-home final examination
(20% of the course grade). Essay assignments and guidelines for the group research project
will be distributed in class. While there is no formal grade for class participation, regular
attendance and participation in class discussion (or lack thereof) will be taken into account in
determining the final course grade. The grading scale to be used will be: A+ 97-100, A 93-
96, A- 90-92, B+ 87-89, B 83-86, B- 80-82, C+ 77-79, C 73-76, C- 70-72, D+ 67-69, D 63-
66, D+ 60-62, F 59 or less.

Course readings will primarily be assigned from one main text (Gilbert) and two
supplemental texts (Hays and Shipler), all of which have been ordered at the UTD Bookstore
and off-campus bookstores. Several additional readings have been placed on electronic
reserve. All course readings will be placed on 24 hour reserve at McDermott Library.

Dennis Gilbert, The American Class Structure in an Age of Growing Inequality, Pine Forge
Press, 2008 (ISBN 978-1-4129-5414-3)
Sharon Hays, Flat Broke with Children: Women in the Age of Welfare Reform, Oxford
University Press, 2004 (ISBN 0-19-517601-8)
David K. Shipler, The Working Poor: Invisible in America, Knopf, 2004 (ISBN 0-375-
70821-9)

COURSE OUTLINE

August 20 Introduction to the Course

August 25 Sociological Theories of Inequality I: Marx


The Communist Manifesto (ER)

August 27 Sociological Theories of Inequality II: Weber


Class, Status Party (ER)

September 1 Sociological Theories of Inequality III: Functionalism


Davis and Moore, Some Principles of Inequality (ER)
COURSE OUTLINE (continued)

September 3 The American Class Structure


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 1

September 8 - 10 Position and Prestige ESSAY ONE DUE 9/8


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 2

September 15 – 17 Social Class, Occupation, and Social Change


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 3

September 23 – 25 Wealth and Income ESSAY TWO DUE 9/23


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 4

September 30 Socialization and Lifestyles


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 5

October 1 Planning Day for Group Projects

October 6 – 8 Social Mobility ESSAY THREE DUE 10/6


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 6

October 13 – 15 Education and Careers


Reqading: Gilbert, chapter 7

October 20 – 22 Elites ESSAY FOUR DUE 10/20


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 8

October 27 Class and Class Consciousness


Reading: Gilbert, chapter 9

October 29 Planning Day for Group Projects

November 3 – 5 The Working Poor ESSAY FIVE DUE 11/3


Student Presentations
Reading: Shipler. all

November 10 – 12 The Poor and Public Policy


Student Presentations
Reading: Gilbert, chapter 10

November 17 – 19 Women and Welfare ESSAY SIX DUE 11/17


Student Presentations
Reading: Hays, all

November 24 – December 3 The Future of Inequality ESSAY SEVEN DUE 12/3


Student Presentations
Reading: Gilbert, chapter 11

December 10 TAKE HOME FINAL EXAM DUE


In-Class Computer and Cell Phone Policy

Use of electronic equipment such as laptop/notebook computers and cell phones can be
distracting to the conduct of a seminar-style class such as this course. Accordingly,
computer and cell phone use will not be permitted in this course while class is in session
except under extraordinary circumstances, and with the explicit prior permission of the
instructor.

Withdrawal from Class

Deadlines for withdrawal from a course are published in the Fall 2009 Academic
Calendar. Administrative procedures given in the Comet Calendar must be followed. It is
the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, the instructor cannot drop or withdraw any student. Students are responsible for
completing the proper paperwork for drops and withdrawals.

Incomplete Grade Policy

Incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s
end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must
be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the beginning of the Spring 2010 semester. If
the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not
submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a
grade of F.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility
of each student to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student
conduct and activities. The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline
within the procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined
and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas
System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. A student at the
university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or
she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for
violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or
whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. In attempting to
resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of
academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to
resolve the matter with the instructor.
Email Use

The instructor will only consider email from students official only if it originates from a
UTD student account.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work. Scholastic dishonesty
includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material
that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism as stated in the general catalog.

Disability Services

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that colleges and universities make those
reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability.
Students seeking such accommodations should first register with the UT-Dallas Office of
Disability Services, and request any provisions through that Office. It is the student’s
responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify
that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas
Code Annotated. The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as
soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The
student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed
exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing
grade for that exam or assignment. If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature
of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar
disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any
missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a
ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee.

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