1. Final Exam
You will research a sociological issue or problem present in the United States
You will create a Crash Course video to summarize and inform about your topic
You will present your video during the final exam period
You may work alone or in a group of 2 or 3

2. Research Topics Mass Media Sociology of Food Youth Cultures
Sociology of Gender and Sexuality
Social Movements
Cults, Clans, and Communities
Spirituality, Superstition, and Legends
Consumerism
Commodities
Sociology of Healthcare
Sociology of urban, suburban, and rural America
Sociology of Sports
Sociology of Education

3. Guidelines
Video must be produced to a high academic and professional standard
You will be graded for both your video production quality as well as your academic information
30% video production and relation to theme / 70% academic content
Video Production
Video will be 8-11 minutes long
Use a smartphone to record your video and use free editing software such as Windows Movie Maker
Only one person will appear on camera
You must decorate a set and theme it to your topic
Examples: White board drawings, cardboard cutouts, physical objects, etc…
Include the following
Into credits
Thought Bubble: 1-3 animated minute segment
Primary and secondary sources
You must reference at least four primary sources
At least two of these must include passages read in the video
A short summary of findings
Final credits listing everyone’s role

4. Social Inequality
Social Stratification, Racial and Ethnic Relations, Gender, Age, and Health

5. Social Stratification

6. What are the social classes in the United States?
What are the characteristics of people in different social classes?
How can people move between classes?
Do any laws dictate this?

7. Social Stratification
Almost every human society on Earth has divided its people into different categories, ranks, or classes
What are the qualities societies have used to divide?
Ancestry
Race
Age
Physical appearance
Gender
Wealth

8. Caste Systems Societal status and class is based upon ascribed status
Almost always based upon your parents
Indian Caste System
Outlawed in 1950
Still widespread in rural areas
Endogamy – Forced marriage inside one’s own cast

9. Is the United States a de facto caste system?
Are people forced into positions based upon birth?
Give two arguments why this is true
Give two arguments why this is false

10. Why is There Social Stratification?

11. Marxist Interpretation
Karl Marx argued that society is composed of two major groups
The Bourgeoisie – Those who control the means of production
The Proletariat – Those who control only their labor
Max Weber expanded on this idea
Social class consists of three factors
Wealth
Power
Prestige

12. Pre-Revolutionary France
Is this a caste system?

13. Wealth Distribution in the US

14. United States Social Inequality

16. How has income distribution changed in the last 35-45 years?

18. Dimensions of Social Stratification
Sociologists define social class as groupings of people with similar
Wealth
Power
Prestige

19. Wealth Wealth is made up of assets and income Estate Tax
Assets: Everything a person owns
Income: Money earned through salaries, investments, returns, and other capital gains
Estate Tax
An estate tax is a tax which is paid when a property over a certain value is inherited from a deceased relative
Only applies to estates valued at over 5.45 million dollars
Applies to only .2 percent of estates
Is this tax fair?
Should people be taxed for inheritance?

20. Power
Ability to control the behavior of others with or without their consent
Can be based on
Force
Possession of knowledge or special skills
Social Status
Personal characteristics
Wealth
Which do you think is most significant in America?

21. Prestige
Respect, Honor, Recognition, or courtesy and individual receives
Occupation is the largest component of prestige

23. Explaining Stratification
Crash Course Sociology – Why is there stratification?

24. The American Social Class System
Write down what you think the average salary and profession of each of the following classes is
What percentage of people make up each class
Upper Class
Upper-Middle Class
Lower-Middle Class
Working Class
Lower Class

27. Upper Class 1% of the population
Controls a large amount of the nation’s wealth
Old Money – Family money and wealth that has usually existed for centuries
Kennedys, Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Du Ponts’
Born into privilege, attend the best schools, travel
New Money – Recently acquired wealth
Less prestigious
Usually earned
Generally politically conservative
Some see charity as a social obligation

28. Upper Middle Class 14% of the population
High income business people and professionals
Money comes from income not wealth
Career oriented
Enjoy many luxuries
Power limited to the local level

29. Lower Middle Class 30% of the population White collar jobs Work hard
Comfortable life
Generally hold traditional values and are conservative

30. Working Class 30% of the population Mostly work in manual labor
Might make as much as lower middle class workers but carry less prestige
Low financial security

31. Working Poor 22% of the population Low paying jobs
Temporary
Seasonal
Work hard for little pay or security
Low education
Politically apathetic

32. The Underclass 3% of the population
Several generations of poverty and poor employment
Chief source of income is public assistance
Survive day to day
Less than 50% of these children will rise in class

33. Social Mobility Horizontal Mobility – Moving inside of a social class
Vertical Mobility – Moving between social classes
Extensive studies have shown that mobility is mostly the result of structural changes and not individual effort

34. Upward Mobility
Technological Change – Job opportunities change to match technology
Automation can lead to downward mobility
New sectors in tech can lead to upward mobility
Merchandising Patterns – Growth in the credit industry, real estate, insurance, and personal services has led to an increase in white collar jobs
Education – Education levels have increased over the last century

35. Downward Mobility Changes in the economy Economic downturns
Changes in the job market
Automation
Economic downturns
Young people suffer during recessions
Highly qualified young individuals can not find jobs
Personal circumstances
Divorce
Illness
Retirement

36. Poverty
2015

37. Poverty
Poverty is calculated by taking the cost of an adequate diet and multiplying it by three
Poor people spend one third of their income on food

39. American Poverty Age – Children are most likely to be in poverty
Sex – 57% of the poor are women
Race and Ethnicity – African Americans and Hispanics are much more likely to be living in poverty than white and Asian Americans

40. Why is it so difficult to escape poverty?
Poverty often runs in a cycle

41. It is difficult for the poor to save money

42. Effects of Poverty Shorter Life expectancy Poor health
Poor Americans are more likely to be arrested
Crimes occur more in poor neighborhoods

43. Crash Course
Social Stratification in the US