Schooling and Society

Catalog description

This course examines K-12 and higher education in the United States through a sociological lens. To accomplish this, we examine how schools and schooling relate to broader social structures and institutions, including neighborhoods, families, and the legal system. Throughout the course we will explore theoretical perspectives and empirical findings that grapple with educational institutions as both engines of social mobility and reflections of societal inequality. Throughout the course, students will learn how sociological frameworks intersect with education policy and will be encouraged to engage with their own educational biographies. Students will investigate a topic of their choice in the sociology of education for the final project.