Routledge Social Stratification, Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective, Second Edition: Class, Race, and Gender in Sociological Perspective

This book assembles classic and contemporary articles representing the major sociological approaches to understanding social inequality. Although there are various competing texts covering issues of social inequality, this book is the only comprehensive source of classic and contemporary articles that have defined and redefined the contours of the field. The introductory articles in each section of the book provide examples of the major research traditions in the field, while the concluding essays (commissioned by leading scholars) provide broader programmatic statements that identify current controversies and unresolved issues.. The field of stratification is being transformed and reshaped by advances in theory and quantitative modeling as well as by new approaches to the analysis of economic, racial, and gender inequality. Although these developments are revolutionary in their implications, until now there has been no comprehensive effort to bring together the classic articles that have defined the contours of the field. In this revised and updated second edition of Social Stratification , the history of stratification research unfolds in systematic fashion, with the introductory articles in each section providing examples of the major research traditions in the field and the concluding essays (commissioned from leading scholars) providing broader programmatic statements that identify current controversies and unresolved issues. This comprehensive reader is designed as a primary text for introductory courses on social stratification and as a supplementary text for advanced courses on occupations, labor markets, or social mobility. The field of stratification is being transformed and reshaped by advances in theory and quantitative modeling as well as by new approaches to the analysis of economic, racial, and gender inequality. Although these developments are revolutionary in their implications, until now there has been no comprehensive effort to bring together the classic and contemporary articles that define the contours of the field. In this revised and updated edition of Social Stratification, the history of stratification research unfolds in systematic fashion, with the introductory articles in each section providing examples of the major research traditions in the field and the concluding essays (commissioned from leading scholars) providing broader programmatic statements that identify current controversies and unresolved issues. The resulting collection of articles both celebrates the diversity of theoretical approaches and reveals the cumulative nature of ongoing research. This comprehensive reader is designed as a primary text for introductory courses on social stratification and as a supplementary text for advanced courses on social classes, occupations, labor markets, or social mobility. The following types of questions and debates are addressed in the six sections of the reader:Forms and Sources of Stratif ication: What are the major forms of inequality in human history? Can the ubiquity of inequality be attributed to individual differences in talent or ability? Is some form of inequality an inevitable feature of human life? The Structure of Contemporary Stratification: What are the principal fault lines or social cleavages that define the contemporary class structure? Have these cleavages strengthened or weakened with the transition to modernity and postmodernity? Generating Stratification: How frequently do individuals move into new classes, occupations, or income groups? Is there a permanent underclass? To what extent are occupational outcomes determined by such forces as intelligence, effort, schooling, aspirations, social contacts, and individual luck? The Consequences of Stratification: How are the life-styles, attitudes, and behaviors of individuals shaped by their class locations? Are there identifiable class cultures in past and present societies? Ascriptive Processes: What types