Sociology 226 - Sociological Perspectives on Power and Privilege in American Education

This course examines the institution of education from a sociological perspective, exploring issues of power and privilege, relationships between education and other social institutions, and the varying purposes of education in society. A recurring theme throughout the course is meritocracy. We consider how merit is defined in education, factors that affect who succeeds in the educational system and whether meritocratic education is a viable goal. Course readings include current empirical research in the sociology of education and both classical and contemporary sociological theories of education. Prerequisite: SOC 101. Enrollment limited to 35.