Education and Society

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Sociology Core Topics Course: SOCI 3863 introduces students to the sociological study of education and schooling, focusing on the relationship between schools and society and the consequences for social inequality. Americans believe formal education is an avenue for social mobility and it is often touted as the "great equalizer." However, studies consistently document that schools also contribute to the reproduction of social inequality. In this course, we will review theories of how schools work and why as we explore questions of social reproduction in education. We will examine how privilege and disadvantage are transmitted across generations through schooling, why such transmission persists, and the consequences for youth and society. Our primary focus will be the U.S. case, but we will also consider education systems in other industrialized countries.