Social Structure
Code: 100475Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Criminology | FB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Laia Sanchez Guerrero
- Email :
- laia.sanchezg@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
The course will be held according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) perspective.
The theoretical lessons will be taught in Catalan and the seminars in both Catalan and Spanish (seminar 13)
Objectives
The course aims to provide students with comprehensive training in relevant theoretical and methodological topics in the field of social structure and stratification. First, participants will become familiar with the main theories on inequality and social mobility. In subsequent sessions, we will analyze mechanisms of stratification and mobility at both the micro and macro levels, such as social class, gender, and ethnicity, taking into account the institutional framework in which these processes are embedded.
In addition, the seminar will pay special attention to the mechanisms of reproduction among “atypical cases.” In other words, we will focus on the dynamics that contribute to maintaining social status among those at the extremes of the wealth distribution (the rich and the poor).
Finally, we will conclude with a discussion of the consequences that inequalities have on individual outcomes, including health inequalities, educational outcomes, employment, and the risk of poverty. Although the seminar will focus on Western societies, participants will also gain insight into how these processes unfold in other contexts, such as the “Global South.”
Learning outcomes
- CM13 (To expose to a specialized public the structural factors that explain the territorial concentration of crime.) To expose to a specialized public the structural factors that explain the territorial concentration of crime.
- KM11 (Clearly define the axes of social inequality and its impact on the explanation of crime.) Clearly define the axes of social inequality and its impact on the explanation of crime.
- SM16 (To design a criminological investigation that attends to structural factors.) To design a criminological investigation that attends to structural factors.
- SM17 (Make structural comparisons that affect crime between countries.) Make structural comparisons that affect crime between countries.
Contents
- The function of inequality
- Social stratification and mobility: theories and evidence
- Social classes and strata
- Elites
- Poverty and exclusion
- Inequalities of origin: the family
- Gender inequalities
- Racial and ethnic inequalities
- Urban stratification
- Technology and its role in social inequality
- Environment and inequality
- Social movements
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluation. | 5 | 0.2 | |
| Student external work | 106 | 4.24 | |
| Lectures. | 19.5 | 0.78 | |
| Seminars. Cooperative learning process (working in small groups) and mixed methodology (bi-directional). | 19.5 | 0.78 |
The teaching methodology combines, on the one hand, the lectures given by the teacher in the lectures, where students are expected to participate in the debates that will take place in the classroom; and on the other, workshops that will require a more active and protagonist participation from the students, since they will consist of the realization of presentations of readings, debates around the same and the realization of practical exercises related to the development of the group work.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collective working paper on one of the several subjects proposed to the students | 30% | 0 | 0 | CM13, KM11, SM16, SM17 |
| Final exam on the contents of the course (compulsory readings and theoretical lectures) | 50% | 0 | 0 | KM11, SM17 |
| Participation in the seminars and group presentation based on one of the compulsory readings | 20% | 0 | 0 | CM13, KM11, SM16, SM17 |
The final grade for the course will be the result of combining several types of assessment:
- A final exam (50% of the final grade).
- A group project (30% of the final grade).
- Attendance and participation in seminars (20% of the final grade): the presentation of one of the required readings accounts for 10% of the seminar grade.
Guidelines for completing the group project will be provided during the seminars.
To pass the course, students must obtain a score of 5 or higher on the final exam. The final grade will be the weighted average of the exam and the other two components, according to the percentages indicated.
The course requires regular attendance at both lectures and practical sessions, as well as continuous work by the student.
Students must attend at least 80% of classes (excluding justified absences) in order to pass the course. Absences may only be justified for reasons of illness, force majeure, or other academic reasons previously authorized by the teaching staff. Classes begin promptly, and students are expected to be punctual.
Re-evaluation: both the exam and the group project may be retaken through individual assignments on the dates established in the academic calendar.
Students will be considered assessable provided they have completed activities whose weight corresponds to at least two-thirds of the total course grade. If this threshold is not reached, the instructor may classify the student as “not assessable.”
Cheating and/or Plagiarism
In the event of any irregularity of this kind, the assessed activity will be graded with a 0 (see Article 116, Section 10 of the UAB Academic Regulations: “If a student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade of an assessment activity, that activity will be graded 0, regardless of any disciplinary procedure that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0”, available at http://www.uab.cat/doc/TR_Normativa_Academica_Plans_Nous).
Students who copy or attempt to copy in an exam will receive a 0 for the course and will lose the right to any resit. Students who submit an assignment with evidence of plagiarism or who cannot justify their arguments will receive a 0 and a warning. In the case of repeated misconduct, the student will fail the course (0) and lose the right to resit.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text proofreading, or translations. Students must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty in the grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.
Single Assessment
This will consist of the following three assessed activities:
- An exam on the contents of the book Requena et al. (2013), and the compulsory course bibliography available on the Virtual Campus (60%).
- A 10-minute oral presentation in which the student must explain what social classes are and their validity for analyzing contemporary social structures (20%).
- An individual practical assignment: a press review including at least 5 commented articles or journalistic references addressing social conflicts related to social structure processes in Catalan society during the period 2020–2026 (20%), with a 10-minute oral presentation.
Single Assessment Bibliography
- Requena, M.; Salazar, L.; Rald, J. (2024). Social Stratification. UNED–McGraw-Hill.
- Compulsory course bibliography available on the Virtual Campus.
Bibliography
1. Required readings
The required reading bibliography, and therefore the assessable content, will be compiled in a reading dossier accessible through the virtual campus.
For a better understanding of the concepts presented in class, the following bibliography may be consulted:
2. Manuals and reference works
Grusky, D. (2019). Social stratification, class, race, and gender in sociological perspective. Routledge.
Grusky, D., & Szelényi, S. (Eds.). (2007). The inequality reader: Contemporary and foundational readings in race, class, and gender. Westview Press.
Kerbo, H. (2004). Estratificación social y desigualdad. McGRAW-HILL
Requena, M., Salazar, L., Radl, J.(2024). Estratificación social. UNED. MacGraw-Hill
Software
No software will be used in the course.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM30) Seminaris (30 estudiants per grup) | 11 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM30) Seminaris (30 estudiants per grup) | 12 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM30) Seminaris (30 estudiants per grup) | 13 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |