Draft Syllabus draft date 10/31/2019
Sociology 149/249
Urban Studies 112
"The Urban Underclass"
Syllabus
Winter Quarter, 2020
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3-4:20P
Room: Ed 128
Plus once a week section, day and time TBA
Michael J. Rosenfeld
Professor
Department of Sociology
McClatchy Hall (Building 120) room 124
mrosenfe@stanford.edu
http://www.stanford.edu/~mrosenfe
Office Hours By appointment
TA: TBA
Introduction:
In this class we will read and discuss some of the classic work of urban sociology, and ask a series of questions about segregation, opportunity, race, class, and public policy.
Required Readings (Available at Stanford Bookstore and on reserve at Green)
* Hirsch, Arnold. 1983. Making the Second Ghetto. Cambridge University Press. $21, ISBN: 0226342441
* William Julius Wilson. 1979. The Declining Significance of Race. University of Chicago Press. $18, ISBN-10: 0226901297
* Massey, Douglas S. and Nancy Denton. 1993. American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass. Harvard University Press. $21, ISBN-10: 0674018214
* Robert Caro. 1974. The Power Broker. Vintage. $17, ISBN-10: 0394720245
* Kotlowitz, Alex. 1991. There Are No Children Here. Doubleday. $11, ISBN-10: 0385265565
* Murray, Charles. 1995. Losing Ground. Basic Books. $21, ISBN-10: 0465042333
* Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer. 2016. Two Dollars A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America. $12. ISBN-10: 054481195X
* Anderson, Elijah. 1990. Streetwise: Race, Class and Change in an Urban Community. University of Chicago Press. $16, ISBN-10: 0226018164
* Oliver, Melvin and Thomas Shapiro. 1995. Black Wealth, White Wealth. Routledge. $29, ISBN-10: 0415951674
* Coates, Ta-Nehisi. 2015. Between the World and Me. Spiegel and Grau. $15, ISBN-10: 0812993543
* Alexander, Michelle. 2012. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. ISBN-13: 978-1595586438. $12.80.
Plus several additional readings posted or linked on the class website, including:
* US Dept of Justice “Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department”, 2015
Plus two movies to see in the second half of the quarter:
Hoop Dreams(Director Steve James, 1994) And Do the Right Thing (Director Spike Lee 1989)
Requirements:
For Undergraduates (soc 149):
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* Midterm Exam |
25% |
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* Make one 15 minute presentation to discussion section, and lead (along with the TA) the section discussion for that week. |
20% |
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* Regular section participation |
10% |
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* Short paper using Social Explorer maps |
10% |
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* Final Exam |
35% |
For Graduate Students (soc 249):
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* Midterm Exam |
15% |
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* Make one 15 minute presentation to discussion section, and lead (along with the TA) the section discussion for that week. |
20% |
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* Regular section participation |
10% |
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* One 10 minute presentation to class, presenting a different book from the one you presented to section |
15% |
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* Short paper using Social Explorer maps |
10% |
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* Final Exam |
30% |
Class Size:
In case of class size limitations, sign-up will require consent of the professor.
Students with Disabilities:
Students with disabilities that may necessitate an academic accommodation must initiate a request with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). See the website http://www.stanford.edu/group/DRC/, or call (650) 723-1066 voice (650) 723-1067 TTY.
Computer use in class: In order to limit distractions in class, there is no computer use in class, except by special permission from Professor Rosenfeld.
Reading Assignments:
NOTE: Questions are posted on my website for each reading. See www.stanford.edu/~mrosenfe/urb_reading_questions.htm
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Week |
Class |
Reading Assignments Due |
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Week 1 |
Jan 7 |
Class orientation |
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Jan 9 |
Making the Second Ghetto, Ch 1-3 |
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Week 2 |
Jan 14 |
Making the Second Ghetto, finish the book |
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Jan 16 |
Wilson: Declining Significance of Race, Ch 1-3 |
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Week 3 |
Jan 21 |
Wilson: Declining Significance of Race, Ch 4-8 |
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Jan 23 |
American Apartheid, preface + Ch 1-2 |
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Week 4 |
Jan 28 |
American Apartheid, Ch 3-5 |
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Jan 30 |
American Apartheid, finish the book |
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Week 5 |
Feb 4 |
In Class Midterm Exam |
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Feb 6 |
The Power Broker, Chapters 10-15. |
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Week 6 |
Feb 11 |
There Are no Children Here, read the whole book |
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Feb 13 |
Black Wealth/ White Wealth, Intro, Ch 1-5 |
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Week 7 |
Feb 18 |
Streetwise, Chapters 1-2 |
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Feb 20 |
Streetwise, finish the book Also: Social Explorer draft papers due; upload to Canvas |
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Week 8 |
Feb 25 |
Losing Ground, Prologue, Chapter 1-4, Ch 16, Ch 17, especially p. 227-236
Plus $2 A day, sections TBA |
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Feb 27 |
Ta-Nehisi Coates: Between the World and Me, read the whole book |
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Week 9 |
March 3 |
Michelle Alexander The New Jim Crow read the whole book |
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March 5 |
US DOJ “Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department”; |
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Week 10 |
March 10 |
Terry v. Ohio US Supreme Court 1968; Floyd v. New York 2013 (all linked from my website) |
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March 12 |
Last Class, Review Session
Wednesday, March 14 by midnight. Social Explorer final papers due; upload to Canvas |
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Final Exam |
in-class Final Exam (as scheduled by the Registrar) |
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