PAM 2250 Social Problems in the United States Fall 2021

AMST 2070 Instructor: Professor Peter Rich

SOC 2070 TAs: Mary Beth Morrissey, Nathan Robbins, and Jenna Shelton

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:15pm

Warren Hall B25

All course communication, including announcements, occurs via the course Ed Discussion website.
This can be accessed via Canvas or directly at https://edstem.org/us/courses/8606/discussion/. Ed
Discussion is an online platform that allows you to ask questions publicly (and anonymously, if
desired). Peers and instructors respond and endorse each other’s responses, and we all benefit from the
group exchange of information. Any administrative or conceptual questions should be asked via Ed
Discussion.

Course Description

Welcome to Social Problems in the U.S. This course teaches students how to think like a social scientist
when encountering claims about social problems in the United States. Through readings and assignments,
students develop an empirically-grounded analytical toolkit for evaluating the scope, causes,
consequences, and proposed solutions to a wide range of complicated social issues, such as: childhood
poverty, racial segregation and discrimination, job insecurity, family instability, discrimination by sexual
identity, unequal pay for women’s work, gender imbalances in family life, health disparities, food
insecurity, drug abuse, and educational inequality. Rather than cover all of these (and other) social
problems in depth, the course emphasizes a conceptual framework that can be applied broadly. The
semester culminates with a written policy proposal examining a social problem and developing an
approach to address it with public policy.

I am happy you have signed up for this course - I love teaching it! I designed the course from scratch in
2017 and have revised it each time I’ve taught it. You are my fourth “cohort” of Social Problems students,
and I hope that you walk away with curiosity, new analytical skills, and an appreciation for the
sociological imagination. This course attracts a wide range of Cornell students with varying levels of
exposure to sociology and policy analysis--which I view as a strength. Accordingly, I’ve designed the
class to be widely accessible but also created pockets of in-depth engagement for those interested.

Learning Objectives

By taking this course, students will:

1. Develop a strategy for discussing controversial issues with others who hold competing perspectives.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of core concepts from Sociology and Policy Analysis as they relate to
topics in education, health, and social welfare.
3. Distinguish between normative, descriptive, and causal claims about social problems as they emerge in
public debate.
4. Evaluate the validity of claims about social problems by drawing on evidence from empirical research.
5. Analyze trade-offs and unintended consequences implicated in the design and implementation of social
policies.
Required Materials

Students are expected to carefully read all assigned material. There will typically be about 60-80 pages of
assigned reading per week. Assigned texts are available online, or on reserve at Mann Library:
1. Lewis, Amanda and John Diamond. Despite the Best Intentions: How Racial Inequality Thrives in
Good Schools. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0195342727 (hardback) or 978-0190669829
(paperback). This title is available online for free at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/cornell/detail.action?docID=2101588
2. McCallum, Jamie. 2020. Worked Over: How Round-the-Clock Work is Killing the American
Dream. Basic Books. ISBN: 978-1541618343
3. McGhee, Heather. 2021. The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper
Together. One World. ISBN: 978-0525509561

We will read most but not all chapters from these assigned texts. Additional material will be assigned as
indicated on the course schedule and will be made available on the course Canvas website. You may use
e-reader versions of any texts as needed, but should be prepared to reference page numbers in the versions
listed here in your writings and in class discussions. The reading schedule might be revised over the
semester; changes will be announced on Ed Discussion.

Finally, please note that in class we will often use Canvas “Quizzes”, Google Docs, and the “Poll
Everywhere” app. You should bring a charged laptop with you to class every day.

Website, Calendar, and Communication

The course Canvas website will be updated regularly with files, lecture slides, readings, and assignments.
Course communication occurs in Ed Discussion (https://edstem.org/us/courses/8606/discussion/). All
announcements will be made on this platform. If you have administrative or conceptual questions, you
should ask them via Ed Discussion to get the fastest answer. This technology has several benefits:
- It creates a mutually supportive class community. You can answer other students’ questions if you
think you know the answer. We encourage this! You can also endorse other students’ answers
(and receive the gratification of earning endorsements). We will endorse good answers and add
comments as needed.
- Asking questions publicly eliminates duplicate 1:1 conversations and allows everyone to “listen
in” on the same answer. This improves course consistency, transparency, and fairness.
- Ed Discussion allows you to conceal your identity when you ask a question. Classmates will not
see your name if you choose the anonymous option; instructors can always see your name.
- Ed Discussion virtually eliminates email. We live in an age of email overload, and without this
tool, many of your messages would probably get lost (I am teaching over 200 total students this
semester, and I simply can’t respond in a timely way). Do your part to prevent email overload by
posting all questions on Ed Discussion!

Of course, there are rare personal circumstances that require 1:1 attention. You should address these
issues in person via office hours or before/after class. As a last resort, email Mary Beth
(mem537@cornell.edu), Nathan (nlr56@cornell.edu), or Jenna (jls699@cornell.edu). If they can’t resolve
the issue, they will alert me and ensure that I provide a prompt response. If the matter is of a private
nature or you are experiencing any sort of personal emergency, please do not hesitate to email me
(pmr86@cornell.edu) immediately (your mental and physical health are more important than inbox zero).

PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 2

Expectations

You are expected to attend class regularly, complete readings and assignments on time, and engage
thoughtfully with the course material. I will base final grades on engagement and evidence of conceptual
understanding, measured in the following ways:

Category: Percent of total grade: Key due dates:

1. Preparation and attendance 20%
2. Sociological analysis memo 20% Survey: 9/27, Memo: 10/15
3. Prelim exams (x2) 15% each (x2) 9/30, 10/28
4. Final exam 20% TBD
5. Policy proposal 10% Checkpoints: 9/15, 10/20, 11/8
Final proposal due 11/23

1. Preparation and attendance (20%): You should arrive to lecture on time, having read all course
material. Reading for the course is critical because we will be discussing complicated and
controversial issues and we need everyone to have a common vocabulary during course
discussions. There will be a number of in-class assessments (almost once per lecture) that ask you
to reflect on a reading assignment and/or apply it to a discussion in class. Sometimes this will
require typed responses in an online forum, while other times it may ask you to answer a multiple
choice question about the reading on the Poll Everywhere app.
a. Each assessment will be worth up to 2 points. You get 0 points for a non-response, 1
point for an insufficient response, and 2 points for a sufficient response signaling that you
read the required material carefully.
b. At the end of the semester, I will count up the maximum number of points you could have
earned over the whole semester. I will then take your point total, divide it by the
maximum points possible, and multiply by 125. This is your percentage score. (Example:
suppose there are 25 assessments worth a maximum of 50 points and you earn 37 points;
your score is [37/50]*125 = 92.5%).
c. Notice that the policy here is generous: you can essentially miss 2 out of every 10
possible points and still get a 100% final score. We designed it this way so that you can
miss a class for whatever reason (personal wellness, family emergency, job interview)
without needing to ask for permission. In exchange for this flexibility, we ask that you do
not email us to be excused for missing a class (only if extreme, rare external
circumstances will cause you to miss several classes should you reach out to us).
d. One last thing: even if your final participation score is greater than 100%, you cannot
earn more than 100% toward your final grade. But we will have a recognition ceremony
for high scorers on the last day of the semester!

2. Sociological analysis memo (20%): As a class, we will conduct a sociological “content analysis”
investigating how social norms and values are communicated to children. This exercise will
require you to analyze three children’s books from different decades on reserve at Olin Library;
you will fill out a survey form for each book, reporting the kind of information that is conveyed
about gender, race, and work. Every student will review a different set of books; but as a
collective we will review 150 books spanning several decades. This exercise will allow us to
observe time trends in how social norms and values are communicated to children. You will write
a memo reflecting upon sociological concepts and methods employed in this exercise.

PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 3

3. Prelim exams (15% each, x 2): There will be two prelim exams in the course taken in a timed
environment in class. The exams will include short response questions that cover content from the
lecture and from readings. You will also be required to interpret graphs and figures. The best way
to prepare for these exams is to read all material assigned in the class, to attend all lectures, and to
review notes in advance. Outside materials are not permitted during these exams.

4. Final exam (20%): A final cumulative exam will be administered at the end of the semester. The
exam will include graph interpretation and short answer questions. Students may have one sheet
of paper (front and back) with prepared notes when they enter the exam. Roughly half of the
exam will feature new content and readings covered after the second prelim.

5. Policy proposal (10%): Students will individually produce a policy proposal designed to address
a social problem from the perspective of an administrative agency.
a. Students will be given a choice from a predetermined list (examples: address workforce
sexual harassment within a Fortune 500 financial firm; tackle homelessness in San
Francisco using municipal resources; narrow the Black-White wealth gap with federal
policy). Students may also choose to write a policy proposal on a topic of their choice.
b. Each student’s policy proposal will include five components: 1) a definition and
description of the scope of the problem, and an explanation of what warrants our
attention; 2) an evaluation and assessment of existing evidence about the causes of the
social problem; 3) a brief overview of what policies have already been implemented as
well as potential options not yet tried; 4 ) a recommended policy plan, with details about
how it will be implemented and evaluated; and 5) a critical assessment of the projected
outcomes and trade-offs of the proposed policy.
c. We will have a series of three checkpoints throughout the semester in preparation for the
submission of the final paper. Completion of checkpoint tasks will each count toward 1 of
the 10 total percentage points for this assignment.
d. The final product will be 7-10 pages in length, double spaced, submitted via Canvas.

6. Community engagement (extra credit): Being part of an inclusive community requires that you
make an effort to communicate and to learn from one another, and that you keep interactions
professional at all times. In addition, it is important that you ask questions, engage peers, and
contribute positively to the overall learning environment of the class. This should happen in
person and on Ed Discussion, our online course forum. I’ve decided to reward you with extra
credit for your participation on this online platform! I can do this systematically because Ed
Discussion tracks, for each student, the number of questions and comments posted, the number of
answers provided and accepted, the number of endorsements from students and instructors, and
weekly usage. At the end of the semester, I will analyze this data and assign extra credit for
activity that goes above and beyond the class norm. (Minimal participation gets you nothing,
being a 20th to 50th percentile user earns you up to 1%, being a 50th to 75th percentile earns you
up to 3%, and top users can earn up to 5%. Note that quality and quantity of activity matters.
Also, please note that this is the only way to earn extra credit in the course.

PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 4

Grading

Course grades are rounded to the nearest decimal point and will be assigned as follows:
93-100 A 83-86.9 B 73-76.9 C 63-66.9 D
90-92.9 A- 80-82.9 B- 70-72.9 C- 60-62.9 D-
87-89.9 B+ 77-79.9 C+ 67-69.9 D+ 59.9 and below F

An A+ grade is a sign of exceptional performance and will be granted in very rare cases. Note that
the only extra credit in the class is through community engagement (see above).

Additional Course Policies

Professionalism: I will work to maintain a fair, professional environment at all times. I ask that you do the
same. This means that by enrolling in the course, you are agreeing to the expectations outlined in this
syllabus and will minimize requests for special treatment or extended deadlines (except in cases of
medical or family emergency). You should conduct yourself professionally by coming to class and
appointments on time, meeting deadlines promptly, communicating with me, the TAs, and your peers
respectfully, and treating our classroom space with care. Finally, if you anticipate any issues with the due
dates presented on this syllabus, you should let one of the TAs know by the second week of class so that
we have ample time to resolve the issue.

Electronic devices: This course is designed to encourage conversation and collective engagement.
Laptops and tablets can facilitate this through Poll Everywhere, writing exercises, and in-lecture
discussion forums. But we all know that technology can also be a distraction! You should bring a charged
laptop/tablet to class with you every day. I will direct you when to open it up or put it away.

Absences and late papers: Students are responsible for all announcements made and material covered
during their absence. Make-up exams and extensions are offered only for extreme circumstances, and
must be requested in advance. Late assignments will be penalized by 5% each day late, and will only be
accepted 4 days past the original due date. Special allowances are possible in the case of personal
emergency, but you will need to give notice of those incidents as they are taking place. Please note that
participation points require class attendance and cannot be made up (see above to review the flexible
participation grading policy allowing you to miss classes if needed).

Disability accommodations: In compliance with section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodation will be provided to students with
documented disabilities. Students with disabilities must provide the College of Human Ecology with
appropriate documentation of their disability before an accommodation can be made. Reasonable
accommodation will be provided on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please see the Student
Disability Services website (http://sds.cornell.edu) at the start of the semester, or call at 607-254-4545.

Course content: At times this semester we will be discussing historical events and topics that may be
disturbing, even traumatizing, to some students. If you suspect that specific material is likely to be
emotionally challenging for you, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns you may have with me or
the TAs before the subject comes up in class. Likewise, if you ever wish to discuss your personal
reactions to course material with the class or with me individually afterwards, you are encouraged to do
so via office hours. Such discussions are an appropriate part of our classwork.
PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 5
Inclusivity: Students in the course represent various backgrounds and perspectives. It is expected that
everyone will be respectful of each other’s opinions, especially when facing views they do not agree with.
Diverse backgrounds imply a variety of approaches to the production and reception of knowledge, and
civil debate about these differences is encouraged. While working together to build this community, I ask
all members to:
● share their unique experiences, values and beliefs
● be open to the views of others
● honor the uniqueness of their classmates
● value each other’s opinions and communicate in a respectful manner
● keep discussions confidential within the community
● reflect on how we can create an inclusive environment across Cornell

Citations: Students are expected to be familiar with established practices for acknowledging the use of
academic sources. A useful tutorial on recognizing and avoiding plagiarism is available at
http://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm. The library also offers a range of services to help
students through the research process, including consultations with a librarian to answer questions about
why, how, and when to document sources. You can review the library’s services on their main page, or
follow this link to make an appointment with a librarian at Mann:
https://mannlib.cornell.edu/help/research-support/research-help.

Turning in course assignments: Assignments will be submitted electronically via Canvas and its
associated apps (Gradescope, Turnitin.com, etc). You can find instructions on how to turn in assignments
on the Canvas course “Assignments” page. Students agree that by taking this course that all papers
submitted for the course may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to
Turnitin.com/Gradescope for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source
documents in the Turnitin.com/Gradescope reference databases solely for the purpose of detecting
plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com/Gradescope services is subject to the Usage Policy
posted on the Turnitin.com and Gradescope sites.

Academic integrity: Absolute integrity is expected of every Cornell student in all academic undertakings.
Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic
community are grounded on the concept of honesty with respect to the intellectual efforts of oneself and
others. Academic integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University
relationships and interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of University
resources. A Cornell student’s submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work is the
student's own. All outside assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic position
truthfully reported at all times. In addition, Cornell students have a right to expect academic integrity
from each of their peers. Accordingly, in this class students are expected to do their own work. Those
found cheating or committing plagiarism on any assignment or exam will receive a “0” on that
assignment or exam and will be referred to CHE’s Academic Integrity Hearing Board. For further
information regarding the Cornell Code of Academic Integrity see: http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/aic.cfm.

Additional support: Although this class will not dedicate instructional time to the craft of writing, students
are expected to communicate their ideas in an organized, clear, and professional manner. We encourage
you to seek out support on campus from the Cornell Writing Centers, which provide support for
individuals at any stage of the writing process (http://knight.as.cornell.edu/wc). You are also invited to
attend office hours with me or one of the course graduate TAs. Further details will be posted on Ed
Discussion after the first week of class.
PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 6
Course Schedule

I may occasionally swap out readings, reduce the reading load, or give directions about where to focus
attention. All announcements will occur in Ed Discussion.

Part 1. Sociological thinking and the construction of social problems

● Class 01 (8/26) - Course introduction

● Class 02 (8/31) - What makes problems social?
○ Read Wells, “Country of the Blind” (Canvas)
○ Listen to the interview with Arlie Hochschild on the Ezra Klein show:
https://podbay.fm/p/the-ezra-klein-show/e/1473764400
○ Optional reading: McDermott and Varenne “Culture as disability” (Canvas)
● Class 03 (9/2) - Why are some social problems more visible than others in the public sphere?
○ Course intake quiz due by 9/1 at 10pm via Google Forms
○ Read Best, Social Problems, Chapter 2 (pp. 29-65) (Canvas)
○ Read Bardach, “Summary of the Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving”
https://www.atlas101.ca/pm/concepts/bardachs-eightfold-path-to-more-effective-problem
-solving/
○ Introduction to Policy Proposal assignment and checkpoints
● Class 04 (9/7) - Sociological imagination and American individualism
○ Read Mills, The Sociological Imagination , Chapter 1 (Canvas)
○ Read Fischer, “Paradoxes of American Individualism” (Canvas)
○ Listen to WNYC, “A progressive parent confronts school segregation”:
https://www.wnyc.org/story/progressive-parent-confronts-segregated-schooling-politics-a
nd-more/
○ Optional reading: Young “You don’t need more free time”:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/opinion/sunday/you-dont-need-more-free-time.htm
l
● Class 05 (9/9) - The case of gender inequality in the workforce
○ Read England, Levine, and Mishel “Progress toward gender equality in the United States
has slowed or stalled” https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/117/13/6990.full.pdf
○ Read Casselman, “For Women in Economics, the Hostility is Out in the Open”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/business/economy/economics-women-gender-bias.
html
○ Read Gupta, “Young Women are Dropping Out of School and Work”:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/us/young-women-unemployment-economy.html
○ Optional reading: Ishizuka, “The Motherhood Penalty in Context”:
https://read.dukeupress.edu/demography/article/58/4/1275/174038/The-Motherhood-Pena
lty-in-Context-Assessing
● Class 06 (9/14) - The social construction of gender: social schema, interactions, and institutions
○ Read Kane, Gender Trap, Introduction (pp.1-25) (Canvas)
○ Introduction to Sociological Analysis coding survey
● Class 07 (9/16) - Developing an analytical lens
○ Policy proposal checkpoint 1 due by 9/15 at 10pm via Gradescope
○ Read and complete exercises from Shea, “Evaluating information sources”
○ Peer discussion of policy proposal checkpoints
○ Coding survey development and examples
PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 7
 ● Class 08 (9/21) - Sociological methods
○ Read Thebaud, Kornrich, and Ruppanner, “Good Housekeeping, Great Expectations:
Gender and Housework Norms”:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0049124119852395
● Class 09 (9/23) - Evaluating social scientific evidence
○ Read Ewing, Ghosts in the Schoolyard, Introduction (pp.1-14) (Canvas)
○ Read Ellen, “The truth about gentrification”:
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-the-truth-about-gentrification-20190822-
ajjjj65xujgy7j77qhilwzbnfa-story.html
● Class 10 (9/28) - Tensions between incremental and structural change
○ Coding survey for three assigned children’s books due by 9/27 at 10pm via GoogleForms
○ Read Jackson, “Don’t let ‘Conversation one’ squeeze out ‘Conversation two’”:
https://inequality.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/Pathways_Spring2017_Conversation-Tw
o.pdf
○ Skim Rittel and Webber, “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning”
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2FBF01405730.pdf (see Canvas handout)
○ Optional reading: Jencks, “Whom Must We Treat Equally for Educational Opportunity to
be Equal?” https://www.jstor.org/stable/2380965?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
● Class 11 (9/30) - Prelim exam 1
○ In-class timed exam covering content from 8/31 through 9/28; laptop required
○ After the exam, Professor Rich will present classroom findings from coding exercise

Part 2. Economic stress and overwork in the 21st century

● Class 12 (10/5) - Deaths of despair, rent extraction, and the opioid epidemic
○ Read Case and Deaton, Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism Preface and
Chapter 1 (Canvas).
○ Read Quinones, “Serving all your heroin needs”:
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/opinion/sunday/serving-all-your-heroin-needs.html
○ Skim CDC Press Release, “Overdose Deaths Accelerating During COVID-19”:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p1218-overdose-deaths-covid-19.html
● Class 13 (10/7) - Trends in economic inequality
○ Read McCallum, Worked Over: pp. 1-20
○ Read pp.33-41 of Grusky and MacLean 2015 “The social fallout of a high-inequality
regime”: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0002716215596946
○ In-class discussion about evidence quality for your policy proposal (anticipating
checkpoint 2)
● Class 14 (10/12) - No class. Fall break.
● Class 15 (10/14) - Time, money, and power in the American workplace
○ Sociological Analysis memo due by 10/15 at 10pm via Gradescope
○ Read McCallum, Worked Over: pp. 21-52
○ Read Covert, “8 Hours a Day, 5 Days a Week Is Not Working for Us”:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/20/opinion/covid-return-to-office.html
● Class 16 (10/19) - Ideology, hegemony, legitimation, and common sense
○ McCallum, Worked Over: pp. 53-55, 67-78
○ Korducki, “We’re finally starting to see a revolt against the cult of ambition”:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/06/opinion/Naomi-Osaka-ambition-women.html

PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 8

 ○ Listen to the interview with James Suzman on the Ezra Klein show:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/29/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-james-suzman.html?ca
mpaign_id=39&emc=edit_ty_20210629&instance_id=34114&nl=opinion-today&regi_id
=68487055&segment_id=62031&te=1&user_id=d00087e476d19bb521c3b133f505219
○ Optional reading: Gramsci, “Americanism and Fordism” (Canvas)
● Class 17 (10/21) - Meritocracy, inheritance, and social reproduction
○ Policy proposal checkpoint 2 due by 10/20 at 10pm via Gradescope
○ McCallum, Worked Over: pp. 127-154
○ Read Miller, “The restlessness of modern parenting”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/25/upshot/the-relentlessness-of-modern-parenting.htm
l
● Class 18 (10/26) - Neoliberalism vs the welfare state
○ McCallum, Worked Over: pp. 155-176
○ Read pp.41-46 of Grusky and MacLean 2015 “The social fallout of a high-inequality
regime”: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0002716215596946
○ Harvey, A Brief History of Neoliberalism: pp.1-4,39-42 (Canvas)
○ Read Edin, Schaefer, and Tach, “A New Anti-Poverty Litmus Test”:
http://inequality.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/Pathways_Spring2017_Litmus-Test.pdf
● Class 19 (10/28) - Prelim exam 2
○ In-class timed exam covering content from 10/5 through 10/26; laptop required
○ After the exam, we will discuss “upstream versus downstream” thinking

Part 3. Examining the causes and consequences of racial inequality

● Class 20 (11/2) - Race as ideology

○ Read Kendi, Stamped from the Beginning, Prologue (pp. 1-11) (Canvas)
○ Read Fields, “Slavery, Race and Ideology in the United States of America” (Canvas)
○ Read McGhee, The Sum of Us, Introduction
● Class 21 (11/4) - Historical precedents of racial inequality
○ Read King, Where do we go from here? Chaos or Community?, Chapter 3 (pp.71-101)
(Canvas)
○ Read McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapter 1, 2
○ Optional reading: McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapter 3
● Class 22 (11/9) - Residential segregation
○ Policy proposal checkpoint 3 due by 11/8 at 10pm via Gradescope
○ Read McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapter 4
○ Skim Glaeser and Vigdor, “End of the Segregated Century”:
https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/end-segregated-century-racial-separation-ameri
cas-neighborhoods-1890-2010-5848.html
○ Optional reading: McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapters 5 and 6
● Class 23 (11/11) - Black-white gaps in access to educational opportunity
○ Read Johnson, Children of the Dream, Chapter 2 (pp.41-66) (Canvas)
○ Read McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapter 7
○ Listen to This American Life podcast, Hannah-Jones, “The Problem We All Live With
(Part One)”: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/562/the-problem-we-all-live-with-part-one
○ Optional reading: Lewis-McCoy, Inequality in the Promised Land, Chapter 2 (pp.19-44)
(Canvas)

PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 9

● Class 24 (11/16) - Institutionalized racism despite good intentions
○ Read Lewis and Diamond, Despite the Best Intentions Chapters 1 and 3
○ Skim Pager and Quillian, “Walking the talk? What employers say versus what they do”
(Canvas)
○ Optional reading: Lewis and Diamond, Despite the Best Intentions Chapters 4
● Class 25 (11/18) - Opportunity hoarding and the limits of race-neutral policy
○ Read Lewis and Diamond, Despite the Best Intentions, Chapters 5
○ Optional reading: McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapters 8 and 9
● Class 26 (11/23) - No class.
○ Policy proposal final paper due by 11/23 at 10pm via Canvas
● Class 27 (11/25) - No class. Thanksgiving.
● Class 28 (11/30) - Racial disparities and class struggle
○ Read Darrity and Mullen “Black reparations and the racial wealth gap”:
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/06/15/black-reparations-and-the-racial-we
alth-gap/
○ Read Taylor and Reed “The Reparations Debate”:
https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/the-reparations-debate
○ Optional reading: Michaels and Reed “The Trouble with Disparity”:
https://nonsite.org/the-trouble-with-disparity/
○ Optional reading: Coates, “The Case for Reparations”
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631
● Class 29 (12/2) - Solidarity
○ Read McGhee, The Sum of Us, Chapter 10
○ Read Fraser, “From Progressive Neoliberalism to Trump--and Beyond”:
https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2017/11/progressive-neoliberalism-trump-beyond/
● Class 30 (12/7) - Review of big themes in the course
○ Read Jackson, Manifesto for a Dream Chapter 1 (Canvas)
○ Course community engagement awards
○ Details about final exam provided
● Class 31 (TBD) - Final exam

PAM 2250 / SOC 2070 / AMST 2070, Page 10