SOCY 1072 Inequality in America
This course examines class inequalityin American society. It not only describes how the rich, the poor, and the middle classes live, but also how they relate to one another. Topics include the strategies used by the rich for maintaining the status quo, the hopes cherished by the middle class for improving their position, and the obstacles that keep the poor in their place. The class is writing intensive, with half the papers focused on readings that emphasize the dynamics of inequality as they are enacted by men and women, and by people of color and Caucasians, and the other half focused on diverse research experiences: simulations, interviews, observations, documentary analysis, fiction writing, etc.
Course overview
- Department
- Sociology
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Fall, Every Spring
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- Social Science
Requirements fulfilled
- Environmental Studies: Concentration — Environmental Entrepreneurship: One Sociology Course (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Environmental Studies: Concentration — Environmental Justice and Policy: One Sociology Course (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Applied Psychology and Human Development: Major electives — any Psychology (PSYC) or Sociology (SOCY) course (no more than two electives from outside LSEHD) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Sociology: Sociology electives (18 credits, generally six courses) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- University Core: Social Science (All undergraduates)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.68 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 3.81 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 7
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Eve Spangler | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 30 of 30 |
| Fall 2025 | Eve Spangler | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 34 of 44 |
| Fall 2024 | Eve Spangler | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 17 |
| Spring 2024 | Eve Spangler | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 49 of 55 |
| Fall 2023 | Eve Spangler | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 of 41 |
| Spring 2023 | Eve Spangler | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 46 of 53 |
| Fall 2022 | Eve Spangler | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 26 of 33 |