Sociology 216DU - Special Topics in Sociology: 'Schooling in American Society'

COVID-19 has upended schooling in the United States. Assumptions about physical co-presence, standardized testing, the rights of students, and the responsibilities of schools have all been transformed at warp speed. The pandemic also exposed durable fault lines in American education and society. This course provides an opportunity to evaluate our present moment using classical and contemporary sociological perspectives on mass schooling. It highlights issues facing the future of education, the role of schooling in struggles for economic and racial justice, and how the aspirations of individuals and families interact with state institutions to shape the American social and economic order.

Prereq: SOCI-123.