SOC150: Non-Textbook Readings for Final

Ehrenreich, “Nickel and Dimed”

A journalist leaves her middle-class life for a month and moves to Key West and works at restaurants and hotels to document the life of the working poor.

Lareau, “Invisible Inequality”

examines how social class examines how social class influences parenting styles and children’s life outcomes with the two styles of either concerted cultivation or accomplishment of natural growth

concerted cultivation

middle-class parents actively structure their children’s lives with organized activities and reasoning-based interactions, fostering a sense of entitlement and confidence in navigating social institutions; making doctors’ appointments or asking their own questions at appointments

accomplishment of natural growth

working-class and poor parents provide basic conditions for growth but allow children more autonomy in leisure and social interactions, leading to a more constrained ability to advocate for themselves in institutional settings

entitlement

children feel comfortable questioning authority, advocating for themselves, and navigating bureaucratic systems; fostered by concerted cultivation

invisible inequalities

inequalities that are so deeply embedded in our everyday lives that they go unnoticed. They operate through subtle social norms, expectations, and institutional interactions

Jack, “(No) Harm in Asking”

this article explores how social class influence students’ engagement with authority figures at elite colleges

the privileged poor

these students attend elite preparatory schools before college, which familiarized them with academic norms and made them comfortable seeking help from professors

the doubly disadvantaged

these students come from under-resourced public schools and often struggle to engage with authority figures, feeling hesitant or withdrawn in academic settings

Hochschild, “Joey’s Problem: Nancy and Evan Holt”

Nancy Holt is a social worker wife who wants an egalitarian marriage while her husband Evan resists taking on more domestic work. Their son Joey causes tension in their marriage and to cope, Nancy and Evan develop a myth that they are both contributing equally to household labor when Nancy actually does significantly more

“second shift”

refers to the unpaid domestic labor of housework, childcare, and emotional management that women often perform after completing their paid job

gender egalitarian marriage

a marriage in which both partners share responsibilities and decision-making equally, rather than adhering to traditional gender roles

equal division of household labor

shared emotional and mental load, balanced careers and ambitions, joint decision-making, flexibility, and negotiation.

Cottom, “Dying to be Competent”

explores how Black women’s expertise and competence are undermined especially in medical settings

competence as a social construct

the idea that society defines who is seen as credible based on race, gender, and class

Reich, “Calling the Shots”

examines how the perspectives of doctors, parents, and policymakers, offering insight into the broader tensions between individual rights and public health

individualistic parenting

a style of parenting that emphasizes independence, self-reliance, and personal choice; relates to concerted cultivation

vaccine narrative

refers to the way vaccines are discussed, framed, and understood public discourse; the US has a pro-vaccine narrative that emphasizes the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, making it standard practice for all citizens to get their vaccines

Meyer, “How Social Movements Matter”

explores the impact of social movements on politics, policy, and society, arguing that while social movements may not always achieve their immediate goals, they can shape public discourse, influence politics, and create lasting cultural shifts

Aldon, “From Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter”

examines how the evolution of Black social movements, emphasizing how the Civil Rights Movement laid the foundation for contemporary activism, including BLM.