Class, Race, and Gender in the U.S. Economy
(Econ250/ES250)
Reading Asssignments
Spring 2006
Updated April 26, 2006



I.    Introduction
(WEEK 1 & 2)
                                                   

Readings:  * required,  o recommended
                                                                                                   
1)    PURPOSE OF COURSE: HONORABLE DISCUSSION
          On Reserve/Handout:       
*Rehumanizing Society, Gonzales & Rodriguez

2)    A STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
          On Reserve:                           
*  Let America Be America Again, Langston Hughes
*  The Stream, Leonel I. Castillo, Studs Terkel
*  A Different Mirror, Ronald Takaki
*  We’ve Been Here Before, George F. Will
o From Individual to Structural Discrimination,  Fred L. Pincus
* The Problem: Discrimination, The U.S. Government’s Civil Rights, Rothenberg, p 186 - 196

3)    FRAMEWORK: THE ECONOMICS OF STRATIFICATION   
          On Reserve/Handout:
*The Political Economy of Stratification, P. Martinez
       
Abelda, Drago, Shulman:
*Ch. 1: Two Views on Inequality and Discrimination, Unlevel Playing Fields,
*Ch.2: Inequality by the Numbers, Unlevel Playing Fields,

4)    LABOR ECONOMICS: BASIC SUPPLY & DEMAND  
Abelda, Drago, Shulman:
          *Ch.3: The Basics of Neo-Classical Economics, Unlevel Playing Fields,





II.    CLASS
(Weeks 3, 4 & 5)

1)    EXPERIENCE OF CLASS
On Reserve
o The Men We Carry in Our Minds, Sanders
o C.P. Ellis, Studds Terkel   

          Instructor Web Page
          o American Labor History - Timeline.

2)    WHAT IS “CLASS”?

A. Sociological Analysis
i.        De-classe American Myth:     "Everyone is middle class."

On Reserve
* Class in America: Myths and Realities (2000), Gregory Mantios   
o Media Magic: Making Class Invisible, Gregory Mantios

ii.      Self-identification: Aspirations, Consumption Patterns       

iii.    Other Characteristics: Cultural Values, Education, etc.

B. Economic Analysis
i.       Neo-Classical Analysis:    Market Rewards for Abilities

Abelda, Drago, Shulman:
* Ch.4: Work and Wages in Neo-Classical Economics, Unlevel Playing Fields

ii.      Classical Analysis: Labor Theory of Value  (Quesnay, Ricardo, & Marx)
Abelda, Drago, Shulman:
* Ch.6: The Basics of Political Economy, Unlevel Playing Fields,

iii.     A Divided Labor Market
Abelda, Drago, Shulman:
* Ch.7: Work and Wages in Political Economy, Unlevel Playing Fields,

3)    STATISTICAL DISPARITIES: Income, Wealth and Poverty

A.    Indicators: Wealth, Education, Attainment of parents, Race, Immigrant Status, Divorce,

B.    Poverty in Oregon
Required Web Articles from OSU Extension Service:

*A Portrait of Poverty in Oregon, OSU Extension Service

*Minimum wage fails to keep up
 
*Minimum Wage Graph
*Women and children most likely to be poor

C.    Income and Wealth Data
* Our Wealth and Commonwealth, William Gates, Sr. & Chuck Collins
Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, 5, and Epiologue are required. Chpaters 3 and 4 are optional.

Web Sites:

ºDivided Decade, Collins, Hartman, & Sklar; United for a Fair Economy

4)    INSTITUTIONS AND CLASSISM: EDUCATION
Video, in Class:
* The Secrets of the SAT, Frontline, PBS video, in class
       
On Reserve:
* SATs skewed by shoddy disability, LATimes, Jan. 9, 2000
* Among Affluent Students, A Culture of Disengagement, Chronicle of Higher Ed.
Nov. 27, 1998                   
º The Economic Root of Low Test Scores, LATimes, Mar. 26, 2000