SC208-5-SP-CO:
Stratification Across the Life Course: Inequalities From Cradle to Grave
2019/20
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 13 January 2020
Friday 20 March 2020
15
17 May 2019
Requisites for this module
GV110 and GV112
GV207
(none)
SC101, SC107, SC203
SC385, SC830, SC831
This module provides a selective introduction to the study of stratification across the life course. Social stratification is the unequal distribution of scarce resources, and of the processes by which these resources are allocated to individuals, groups, and social positions.
The study of stratification is broad and occupies a central role in sociological research, encompassing studies of income and wealth inequality, occupational and class hierarchies, inequality of educational opportunity, poverty, social mobility between and within generations, gender and race-ethnic inequality, and the consequences of inequality.
We will also pay particular attention to the life course perspective on stratification; in other words, how experiences in early life influence later events and choices in education, marriage, or health.
In this ten week course, we examine specific examples of sociological research in selected areas, covering the concepts, theories, facts, and methods of analysis used by sociologists to understand different aspects of social stratification. The examples are not meant to provide a comprehensive overview, but rather to illustrate prominent questions in the field and how sociologists go about answering them.
The module aims to:
Discuss examples of sociological empirical research on class, gender, and racial inequalities in selected outcomes across the life course
Critically examine the link between theoretical framework, research questions, data choice, and modelling strategy
Engage with quantitative evidence, including interpreting tables and graphics
Encourage formulation of own research questions and hypotheses, and apply these to UKHLS in lab sessions.
On completion of this module, students will have:
Substantive understanding of current key debates and recent empirical work in the field of social stratification
Improved ability to critically read scientific journal articles and to interpret quantitative evidence
Experience in formulating research questions and testable hypotheses, and applying these to real data
Students will need basic statistics to understand material in the course.
After the introductory week, this course is divided into four two-week sections, each devoted to a stage in the life course. Every section contains two lectures (one each week), followed by a class discussion after the first lecture and a lab session after the second. The class discussion will include in-depth discussion of the readings, with particular attention paid to identifying the research question and discussing the analytical choices and evidence provided by the authors. The class takes most of its examples from the contemporary United Kingdom and the United States. In each lab session, we will formulate our own research questions and hypotheses based on our readings and discussions. We will then use Stata software to test these using data from the largest longitudinal study of UK households: Understanding Society.
One one hour lecture per week, and one two hour lab to discuss methodological concepts and conduct analysis using SPSS
- MacInnes, John. (2017) An introduction to secondary data analysis with IBM SPSS statistics, London: Sage Publications Ltd.
- Grusky, David B.; Weisshaar, Katherine R. (2014) Social stratification: class, race, and gender in sociological perspective, Boulder: Westview Press.
- Field, Andy P. (2017) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS., London: Sage Publications.
- Field, Andy P. (2018) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics, London: SAGE.
- Kathryn, Edin. (2014) 'Low income urban fathers and the “package deal” of family life', in Social stratification: class, race, and gender in sociological perspective, Boulder: Westview Press.
- A House Divided - How Unaffordable Housing Drives UK Inequality | The Equality Trust, https://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/house-divided-how-unaffordable-housing-drives-uk-inequality
- Field, Andy P. (©2018) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics, London: SAGE.
- (2014) The P-value, Significance, and Friends Who Don't Believe You - YouTube.
- (no date) The Correlation Coefficient Explained - YouTubeThe Correlation Coefficient Explained.
- (no date) Population Mean And Sample Mean.
- Zaidi, Batool; Morgan, S. Philip. (2017-08-30) 'The Second Demographic Transition: A Review and Appraisal', in Annual Review of Sociology. vol. 43 (1)
- Vikki Boliver. (2011) 'Expansion, differentiation, and the persistence of social class inequalities in British higher education', in Higher Education: Springer. vol. 61 (3)
- Geronimus, Arline T. (1996-2) 'Black/white differences in the relationship of maternal age to birthweight: A population-based test of the weathering hypothesis', in Social Science & Medicine. vol. 42 (4) , pp.589-597
- Heckman, J. J. (2006-06-30) 'Skill Formation and the Economics of Investing in Disadvantaged Children', in Science. vol. 312 (5782) , pp.1900-1902
- Lareau, Annette. (2011) Unequal childhoods: class, race, and family life, Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Becker, Birgit. (2011-03) 'Social disparities in children's vocabulary in early childhood. Does pre-school education help to close the gap?', in The British Journal of Sociology. vol. 62 (1) , pp.69-88
- Lynch, J.W.; Kaplan, G.A.; Salonen, J.T. (1997-3) 'Why do poor people behave poorly? Variation in adult health behaviours and psychosocial characteristics by stages of the socioeconomic lifecourse', in Social Science & Medicine. vol. 44 (6) , pp.809-819
- (2010) Simple Explanation of Chi-Squared - YouTube.
- Elder, Glen H. (1998-02) 'The Life Course as Developmental Theory', in Child Development. vol. 69 (1) , pp.1-12
- Gibson, Jason; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2014) Sampling distributions, Texas, USA: Math Tutor DVD LLC.
- Abendroth, Anja-Kristin; Huffman, Matt L.; Treas, Judith. (2014-10) 'The Parity Penalty in Life Course Perspective', in American Sociological Review. vol. 79 (5) , pp.993-1014
- Hout, Michael. (2012-08-11) 'Social and Economic Returns to College Education in the United States', in Annual Review of Sociology. vol. 38 (1) , pp.379-400
- Gibson, Jason; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2014) Central limit theorem: Part 1, Texas, USA: Math Tutor DVD LLC.
- Treiman, Donald J. (c2009) Quantitative data analysis: doing social research to test ideas, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
- Gibson, Jason; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2013) The frequency distribution, Texas, USA: Math Tutor DVD LLC.
- (no date) Population And Sample Standard Deviation.
- Jackson, Michelle; Erikson, Robert; Goldthorpe, John H.; Yaish, Meir. (2007-09) 'Primary and Secondary Effects in Class Differentials in Educational Attainment', in Acta Sociologica. vol. 50 (3) , pp.211-229
- Tomaskovic-Devey, Donald; Thomas, Melvin; Johnson, Kecia. (2005-07) 'Race and the Accumulation of Human Capital across the Career: A Theoretical Model and Fixed-Effects Application', in American Journal of Sociology. vol. 111 (1) , pp.58-89
- Sullivan, Alice; Joshi, Heather; Leonard, Diana. (2010-03) 'Single-Sex Schooling and Academic Attainment at School and Through the Lifecourse', in American Educational Research Journal. vol. 47 (1) , pp.6-36
- MACMILLAN, LINDSEY; TYLER, CLAIRE; VIGNOLES, ANNA. (2015-07) 'Who Gets the Top Jobs? The Role of Family Background and Networks in Recent Graduates’ Access to High-status Professions', in Journal of Social Policy. vol. 44 (03) , pp.487-515
- Field, Andy P. (c2013) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics, London: SAGE.
- (no date) Introduction to Statistics.
- Steele, Claude. (2014) 'Stereotype threat and African American student achievement', in Social stratification: class, race, and gender in sociological perspective, Boulder: Westview Press.
- Almazon, Elbert P.; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2017) An introduction to descriptive & inferential statistics, London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications Ltd.
- Gibson, Jason; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2013) Population and sample standard deviation, Texas, USA: Math Tutor DVD LLC.
- Gibson, Jason; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2013) Population mean and sample mean, Texas, USA: Math Tutor DVD LLC.
- Gibson, Jason; SRMO; Sage Research Methods. (2013) Populations and samples, Texas, USA: Math Tutor DVD LLC.
- (2014) Independent t-test - Explained Simply - YouTube.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Mini essay 1 |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Mini essay 2 |
|
24% |
| Coursework |
Mini essay 3 |
|
26% |
| Coursework |
Mini essay 4 |
|
30% |
Additional coursework information
Please note that assessment information is currently showing for 2018-19 and will be updated in August 2019
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Renee Luthra, email: rrluthra@essex.ac.uk.
Renee Luthra
Jane Harper, Undergraduate Administrator, email: socugrad (Non essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full email address), telephone: 01206 873052
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Monika Krause
London School of Economics
Available via Moodle
Of 24 hours, 6 (25%) hours available to students:
18 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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