Class and Economic Inequality in America

This course examines social class and economic inequality in theory, historical practice and lived experience. We read various accounts of what class is and what causes economic inequality. We look at recent trends that have transformed the economy and working life, putting them in historical context. Together we unpack oft-used but little understood terms like neoliberalism and ask how we define terms like working, middle and upper class. The course explores how class and political economy have shaped American life in history, how they have changed over time and how this impacts the present.