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Card-index course

Social stratification and the life course

Stratification sociale et parcours de vie

Responsible Faculty: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (SSP)

Teacher(s): Daniel Oesch

Validity: 2018 ->

Course Timetable (Weekly)

Date Location Notice Topics Lecturer(s)
2020/2021 : Thursday 10:15-12:00 (Weekly) Anthropole/2106     Jad Moawad, Daniel Oesch

Course

Autumn semester
2 hours per week
28 hours per semester
Weekly
Teaching language(s): French
Public: Yes
Credits: 3

Objective

At the end of the course, students should be able to
- apply the main concepts of social stratification analysis
- identify key moments in the construction of inequalities over the life course
- identify the social policy tools that affect the life course
- summarize the steps that lead from class inequalities to political action
- explain how social origin influences social destination at key moments in the life course

Content

This course seeks to shed light on how inequalities between groups of individuals are constructed and reproduced in European societies. It is structured in three parts:
- The first part compares different ways of representing social stratification: which concepts make it possible to understand and measure the inequalities produced on the labour market? How to represent social stratification in Europe and Switzerland today?
- A second part analyses social inequalities from a life-course perspective. The aim is to identify the key moments in the growth of inequalities - and their reinforcement: during early childhood, schooling, entry into the labour market or during professional careers?
- A third and final part examines the transition from structural inequalities to political action. The aim is on the one hand to analyse class voting and on the other hand to examine the integration of different classes into institutions such as the social state and the trade union movement.

Evaluation

In addition to the optional bonus linked to the readings (see below), the evaluation consists of two elements:
- For 50% of the final grade: a 2.5-page research note on a question that will be distributed randomly to the students in early November. This research note must be submitted no later than Thursday, November 30 on Moodle.
- For 50% of the final grade: a multiple choice test on the course material. This 25-minute test will take place on December 21, remotely on Moodle. This test is designed to assess learning of the objectives listed on above and will consist of a dozen MCQ questions.

There is an important bonus for reading:
The course sessions are supplemented by readings (see above). Instead of the October 26 class, there will be an optional 1st test that covers the book and short texts 2 & 3. Instead of the November 30 class, there will be a second optional test on short texts 4 to 7. These two tests are optional, will take place remotely on Moodle and will be based on multiple choice questions. They allow students to obtain a bonus for the final grade of the course of 0.5 to 1.0 point.

Bibliography

Le texte principal (un livre de 120 pages - sur Moodle ou disponible auprès de Basta!) :

(1) Esping-Andersen, G. (2008). Trois leçons sur l'État-providence, Paris : Seuil, pages 18-134.

6 textes courts (articles de 4 à 15 pages) :

(2) Erikson, R. et Goldthorpe, J. (1992). The Constant Flux. A Study of Class Mobility in Industrial Societies. Oxford: Clarendon Press, pages 35-43.

(3) Oesch, D. et Murphy, E. (2017). Pas de polarisation dans la structure de l'emploi en Suisse. Vie Économique 12, pages 20-23

(4) Heckman, J. J. (2006). Skill formation and the economics of investing in disadvantaged children. Science 312, pages 1900-1902.

(5) Nisbett, R. (2014). Schooling makes you smarter. What teachers need to know about IQ, American Educator, 37(1), 10.pages 10-19.

(6) Esping-Andersen, G. (2017). Education, gender revolution, and fertility recovery. Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 15, pages 55-59.

(7) Rennwald, L. et Zimmermann, A. (2016). Le vote ouvrier en Suisse, 1971-2011. Social Change in Switzerland N° 4, www.socialchangeswitzerland.ch, pages 4-10.

Additional information

https://moodle.unil.ch/course/view.php?id=27790

Use contextFaculty codeStatusCredits
(2020 ->) ›› Optional3.00
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Social Sciences, 2nd part (2019 ->) ›› Life-Course and Inequality Submodule, Thematic Courses, Social Sciences Module, Bachelor in Social Sciences, 2nd PartOptional3.00
Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, 2nd part (2013 ->) ›› Optional Courses Submodule, Social Sciences, Major in Social Sciences, 2nd partOptional3.00
Comp 2p sciences sociales (2013 ->) ›› Optional3.00
Complementary Program to the Master in Social Sciences (2008 ->) ›› Complementary Program to the Master in Social SciencesOptional3.00
Minor in Psychology and an introduction to interdisciplinary studies, 2nd part (2011 ->) ›› Free Subjects Module, Minor in Psychology and an Introduction to Interdisciplinary studies, 2POptional3.00
Minor in Psychology and an introduction to interdisciplinary studies, 2nd part (2011 ->) ›› Social Science Specialisation Submodule, Minor in Psychology and an Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies, 2POptional3.00
Minor in Social Sciences, 2nd part (2019 ->) ›› Life-Course and Inequality Submodule, Thematic Courses Module, Social Sciences Minor, 2nd PartOptional3.00
Minor in Social Sciences, 2nd part (2012 ->) ›› Optional Courses Submodule, Social Sciences Module, Minor in Social Sciences, 2nd partOptional3.00
Minor in Social Sciences for Sports Students, 2nd part (2017 ->) ›› Optional Courses Submodule, Social Sciences Module, Minor in Social Sciences, 2nd partOptional3.00
Preparatory Program to the Master in Digital Humanities, Social Sciences (2016 ->) ›› Preparatory Program to the Master in Digital Humanities, Social SciencesOptional3.00
Preparatory Program to the Master in Social Sciences (2006 ->) ›› Preparatory Program to the Master in Social SciencesOptional3.00
Social Sciences (Minor/External Branch), 2nd Part (2019 ->) ›› Life-Course and Inequality Submodule, Thematic Courses Module, Social Sciences Minor, 2nd PartOptional3.00
Social Sciences (Minor/External Branch), 2nd Part (2012 -> 2020) ›› Optional Courses Submodule, Social Sciences Module, Minor in Social Sciences, 2nd partOptional3.00
Social Sciences (Minor/External Branch), 2nd Part (2017 ->) ›› Optional Courses Submodule, Social Sciences Module, Minor in Social Sciences, 2nd partOptional3.00
Unicentre - CH-1015 Lausanne - Suisse
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Canton de Vaud
Swiss University