The mass expansion of higher education is one of the most important social transformations of the second half of the twentieth century. In this book, scholars from 15 countries, representing Western and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Israel, Australia, and the United States, assess the links between this expansion and inequality in the national context. Contrary to most expectations, the authors show that as access to higher education expands, all social classes benefit. Neither greater diversification nor privatization in higher education results in greater inequality. In some cases, especially where the most advantaged already have significant access to higher education, opportunities increase most for persons from disadvantaged origins. Also, during the late twentieth century, opportunities for women increased faster than those for men. Offering a new spin on conventional wisdom, this book shows how all social classes benefit from the expansion of higher education.

This text examines the structure of stratification in the United States, focusing on the way one's class location influences his or her life opportunities. Beeghley uses three themes to illustrate social stratification: How power influences the distribution of resources in the United States; how social structure influences rates of events; and how social psychological factors influence how individuals act on, and react to, the situations in which they find themselves.

The Process of Stratification: Trends and Analyses discusses the conceptual scheme developed by Blau and Duncan. The book elaborates Blau and Duncan's description and analysis of socioencomic inequality, stratification, and inequality of opportunity in American society during the early 1960s. The authors review the assumptions and methods; they point to a different direction from the widely held assumption that occupational socioeconomic status is the primary determinant to mobility. They also use the Alphabetical Index as the basis for better collection method on data relating to occupation, industry and class of worker. As regards occupational mobility, the authors note that such mobility is limited by the depletion of occupational groups that higher-status occupations have sourced from. They also point that American society is homogenous in the sense of the determinants of socioeconomic achievements can exert influence. The authors then discuss an exercise in theory construction of intergenerational transmission of income. They conclude that income mobility is similar to occupational or educational mobility; to be more precise, they note that empirical evidence should be gathered. This book can prove useful for economists, sociologists, policy makers, as well as academicians involved in societal studies.

Bringing together the classic statements on social stratification, this collection offers the most significant contributions to ongoing debates on the nature of race, class, and gender inequality.

The must-have new edition of the classic book-and-poster set, based on the most recent census data, depicting who owns what, who makes how much, who works where, and who lives with whom Generations of teachers, union organizers, and activists have relied on this book-and-poster set, originally published in 1979, to illustrate the magnitude of America’s growing economic divide. Today, income inequality is at an all-time high, and this completely updated eighth edition, drawn from the 2020 Current Population Survey of the U.S. Census, brings together fresh primary data to provide a clear picture of the U.S. social structure and the considerable demographic and economic changes of the past four decades. Folded inside the companion booklet, the removable poster depicts color-coded figures that make it possible to compare social groups at a glance and to understand how income distribution relates to race, sex, education, and occupation. With charts and careful explanations, the booklet contextualizes and expands on the poster. Rose’s graphic depiction of the census data makes clear at a glance complex concepts, including the way recent economic growth has been skewed toward the wealthiest households, that a gender gap persists in the workplace, and that, on average, African Americans and Latinos still earn far less than other Americans. This new edition of a uniquely visual depiction of American society will be an essential resource and a touchstone for the current debates over education, inequality, poverty, and jobs in our country.

This book explores the racial rules that are often hidden but perpetuate vast racial inequities in the United States.