Summer 2021 | SOC 3251W Section 001: Sociological Perspectives on Race, Class, and Gender (81387)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- Student Option
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- Completely Online
- Class Attributes:
- UMNTC Liberal Education RequirementOnline Course
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session06/07/2021 - 07/30/2021Tue, Thu 05:30PM - 08:00PMOff CampusUMN REMOTE
- Enrollment Status:
- Open (31 of 35 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- In the midst of social unrest, it is important for us to understand social inequality. In this course we will analyze the impact of three major forms of inequality in the United States: race, class, and gender. Through taking an intersectional approach at these topics, we will examine the ways these social forces work institutionally, conceptually, and in terms of our everyday realities. We will focus on these inequalities as intertwined and deeply embedded in the history of the country. Along with race, class, and gender we will focus on other axes of inequality including sexuality, citizenship, and dis/ability. We will analyze the meanings and values attached to these social categories, and the ways in which these social constructions help rationalize, justify, and reproduce social inequality. prereq: Soc majors/minors must register A-F
- Class Notes:
- This course is completely online in a synchronous format. The course will meet online at the scheduled times. Click this link for more detailed course information: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?deorn001+SOC3251W+Summer2021
- Class Description:
- In this course we examine race, class, and gender as axes of stratification, identity, and experience. More importantly, we learn how these and other crucial aspects of social identity intersect to form a complex matrix of privilege and power. Our goal is to understand the multiple and intersecting ways that these concepts shape American society and influence each of our lives, life-chances, and daily interactions.
Some of the questions we will explore include:
● What's the difference between sex and gender? Money and wealth? Race and ethnicity?
● How and why have these concepts changed over time?
● How are resources like healthcare, education, and housing distributed in U.S. society?
● What is intersectionality and why is it important?
● How does the law define gender? Disability? Indigeneity?
The opening weeks of the class are devoted to a detailed examination of each of our core concepts. We focus on the social construction of these concepts, a departure from the antiquated view of race and gender being rooted solely in biology or nature. We explore what meanings and values are attached to these concepts in the social world, as well as the historical, political, and social factors that shape their meanings and values. In the second half of the course, we move to an analysis of the significance of race, class, and gender in different institutional and interpersonal contexts. These include the labor force, education, healthcare, housing, and athletics.
- Grading:
1. Participation and Attendance = 20% (100 points)
2. Five Reading Response Memos = 20% (100 points total/20 points per response)
3. Peer Review = 10% (50 points)
4. Final Paper/Product* = 50% (250 points)
*Your final paper will be broken out into several components that we will work on throughout the course -- do not be worried about one make-or-break grade!
- Exam Format:
- No exams. Your final paper will primarily be an academic literature review on a social inequality of your choice. You will also turn in one related product, such as brief research proposal, policy brief, op-ed, or short video, to relate your literature review to your personal academic or career goals.
- Class Format:
- We will meet synchronously on Zoom each class session. But to combat Zoom fatigue we won't spend all 2.5 hours looking at each other on Zoom -- any lecture material will be recorded and available to watch prior to class, and we'll break up Zoom discussions with "in-class" writing activities, social annotation exercises, time dedicated to online discussion boards, and other ways to maximize learning in this weird new space. Each class we will spend some time discussing the readings and some time moving forward on your papers.
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/81387/1215
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 2 April 2021
ClassInfo Links - Summer 2021 Sociology Classes
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