Titles in the Class, Race and Social Structure set of the International Library of Sociology consider every problem of socio-political importance that affected society in the years following the Second World War.

Titles in this highly international set consider every problem of socio-political importance that affected society in the years following the Second World War. This set includes important texts by key social and political theorists including Stanislaw Ossowski, as well as extensive comparative material from China, Palestine, the USA, South Africa and Great Britain. Drawing on important empirical material, titles included here consider in-depth questions of ethnicity, unemployment, immigration, colour prejudice, social mobility, new elites and class formation.

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 and redefined the contours of the field.In this up-to-date anthology, 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:1. Is stratification inevitable? Do the recent “experiments with destratification in Eastern Europe and elsewhere provide new insights into the functionalist theory of inequality?2. Can we identify a set of organized and cohesive “social classes” in advanced industrial societies? Does it make sense to refer to a ruling class, a “political class,” or a “power elite” in these societies?3. Are the basic contours of occupational mobility the same within all advanced industrial societies? Have the “new structuralists” led us astray in our attempts to understand the sources and causes of occupational attainment?4. Are there fundamental differences across social classes in styles of life, patterns of consumption, and attitudes toward work? Are these “class-specific cultures” attenuating as we move into advanced industrialism?5. Is there an emerging underclass in America? What are the principal sources of racial, ethnic, and gender inequality?6. Can we identify a “teleological dynamic” driving the development of stratification systems? Are new forms of stratification and inequality emerging as Eastern Europe enters its postsocialist stage?The volume offers essential reading for undergraduates who need an introduction to the field, for graduate students who wish to broaden their understanding of stratification research, and for advanced scholars who seek a basic reference guide. Although most of the selections are middle-range theoretical pieces suitable for introductory courses, the anthology also includes advanced contributions on the cutting edge of research. The editor outlines a modified study plan for undergraduate students requiring a basic introduction to the field.

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 of social processes and state policies serve to maintain or alter racial, ethnic, and sex discrimination in labor markets? Have these forms of discrimination weakened or strengthened with the transition to modernity and postmodernity?The Future of Stratification: Will stratification systems take on completely new and distinctive forms in the future? How unequal will these systems be? Is the concept of social class still useful in describing postmodern forms of stratification? Are stratification systems gradually shedding their distinctive features and converging towards some common (i.e., postmodern) regime?The volume offers essential reading for undergraduates who need an introduction to the field, for graduate students who wish to broaden their understanding of stratification research, and for advanced scholars who seek a basic reference guide. Although most of the selections are middle-range theoretical pieces suitable for introductory courses, the anthology also includes advanced contributions on the cutting edge of research. The editor outlines a modified study plan for undergraduate students requiring a basic introduction to the field.

The second edition of this strong collection brings together classical statements on social stratification with current and original scholarship, providing a foundation for theoretical debate on the nature of race, class, and gender inequality. Designed for students in courses on social stratification, inequality, and social theory, this new edition includes a revised and updated editor's introduction and conclusion, along with five new chapters on race and gender from distinguished scholars in the field.

The articles in this book are intended to be a much-needed corrective to the literature on marginality. In the recent past, and at present, the concept of marginality has been used with little specificity, and when used with specificity, the delineation of the complex dimensions of the term has been less than satisfactory. To illustrate the many ways in which marginality exists and operates in many societies Rutledge Dennis has assembled a rich array of articles designed to highlight the history and evolution of the concept of marginality along with the theorists, issues and situations which prompted the use of the term, and the issues for which the term is applicable today. The very title of the volume comes into play here because, though many of the early marginality theorists took the term into the realm of psychology, the contributors to this volume who discussed the theory highlighted the social structural foundation of marginality. Dennis sought a marriage of theory and research while assembling the articles for this volume. For this reason he actively sought papers which used divergent research strategies to uncover the existence of marginality in its various forms and contexts. Thus, some of the papers utilize ethnographic and life history approaches, whereas others use statistical analysis and historical data analysis. In addition to theoretical and methodological concerns a major theme for this volume is the combination of both theory and method towards an investigation of issues and problems emanate from the social structure, and are closely linked to power and domination.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of social stratification using both Marxian and liberal perspectives. The Second Edition has been updated and rewritten throughout to reflect the latest information available and make effective learning even more accessible than before.

First published in 1948, this pioneering work investigates how racism began and why it remains a persistent problem in the United States, tracing racial inequality to the social and economic system that generates it.

The book covers the research on economic inequality, including the social construction of racial categories, the uneven and stalled gender revolution, and the role of new educational forms and institutions in generating both equality and inequality.