In this course we ask "who gets what and why?"  How are power,
privilege, and prestige distributed among individuals and groups in
society and why do some enjoy more than others?  We will examine how
various inequalities (e.g., in income, wealth, property) have
evolved over time and ask how these inequalities shape the life
chances of individuals in different socioeconomic, racial/ethnic,
and gender groups.  Throughout the course we will give particular
attention to the experience of the contemporary U.S. and to the
challenges that recent developments pose for American society.

We will begin by describing the contours of inequality in the U.S.
Next, we will examine some classic sociological treatments of
inequality along with more recent applications of these theories.
We will then return to the topic of inequality in the U.S., examine
the fortunes of different groups, and dig even further into the
processes that generate inequality.  The ultimate goal of this
course is to help you develop a better understanding of inequality
in contemporary societies.