Sociology of Education

1 Course Unit

In the popular imagination, America’s education system has long been understood as the foundation for the American dream: the promise that any child, regardless of their background, can achieve success through talent and hard work. In practice, however, America’s schools have always fallen short of this ideal. Seventy years after Brown vs. Board, America’s schools remain sharply divided by race and class. Why? This course examines America’s unequal school system from a distinctively sociological perspective. Through close reading, spirited discussion and individualized research, we will analyze how American education both reflects and reinforces inequalities along the intersecting lines of race, class and gender. We explore how educational opportunity is critically shaped by broader social institutions, such neighborhoods, families, and the criminal legal system. Finally, we will imagine alternatives, drawing on social science research to propose ways of making American education more just, equitable and effective. 1 Course Unit