Exams

• Exam #1: 50pts
• Exam #2: 50pts
• Exam #3: 50pts
• Exam #4 (final): 75pts

Group Projects

• Transatlantic Trade Project: 10pts
• Intra-American Trade Project: 15pts
• Website Project: 20pts
• Biographical Sketches Project: 25pts

Participation

• Attendance and engaged participation: 30pts

60% Participation

10% Final Presentation

30% Final Paper

Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:

Letter Grade

Percentage

A

90-100%

B

80-89%

C

70-79%

D

60-69%

F

0-59%

Tests – 50%

• Test 1 -- 25%
• Test 2  -- 25 % (All tests are multiple choice and short answers/essays).

Attendance and class work – 50%

• Taylor reflections, discussions, and reports 10%
• War report 10 %
• Constitution Game 10%
• Georgia in and around 1776 10%
• Attendance 10%

The bulk of this work will be done during class time.

All assignments must be submitted on time and uploaded to the Canvas submission portal by the indicated deadline (usually 11:59 pm of the due date). Late work will only be accepted for credit with a documented excuse. If students have accommodations, make sure that the terms are clearly communicated to the Professor through Disability Services. 
-    Response Paper 1 (60 points)
-    Midterm Exam (80 points)
-    Film response paper (60 points)
-    Final Assignment (120 points)
-    Attendance and Participation (30 points)

90-100% = A         
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
59 and below = F
 

All assignments must be submitted on time and uploaded to the Canvas submission portal by the indicated deadline (usually 11:59 pm of the due date). Late work will only be accepted for credit with a documented excuse. If students have accommodations, make sure that the terms are clearly communicated to the Professor through Disability Services. 

• 4 Discussion Posts (15 points each = 60 points)
• Group Presentation (50 points)
• Midterm Book & Film Review (70 points)
• Final Paper (100 points)
• Attendance & Participation (20 points)

90-100% = A               

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60-69% = D

59 and below = F

Final Grades Rubric out of 1000 points possible (what appears on your transcript)

900 and above = A

800-899 = B

700-799 = C

600-699 = D

Less than 600 points = F

Grades and Assignments (Points used to calculate final grade)

Discussion Questions (150pts total): Every week, students have the opportunity to post one key point and one discussion question on the Canvas discussion board by Monday at 12pm related to the readings that could be potentially discussed in class. Each student should post 5 weeks (5 key points and questions in 5 separate postings) throughout the semester. These questions should involve critical thinking skills thus critical questions of the authors’ arguments are allowed. In addition to the actual question, you should provide a brief discussion of the background to your question. Weekly questions will receive a 30 for excellent questions, a 20 average questions, and a zero (0) for extremely poor questions or no questions at all. Late discussion questions will not be accepted. For example, a good question would be: “In 'Some Principles of Stratification' by Davis and Moore, the authors outline several logical premises that ultimately lead one to believe that inequality is functional, necessary, and inevitable. In what ways is their logic flawed? Are rewards always distributed by their ‘functional importance’? How does the case of professional athletes vs teachers either support or conflict with their argument?” An example of a poor question would be “Who are the bourgeoisie according to Marx?” (Note: You are welcome to ask clarifying questions during class or by email. They just will not work for the weekly questions portion of your grade.) If students are not reading, I reserve the right to change this portion of the grade to random pop quizzes on the readings.

Classroom participation (150 points): Students are expected to be in class whenever possible and participate in discussions of the readings. I will be taking attendance this semester. It is difficult to participate when you are not in class. Occasionally, in class, writing assignments may also be assigned to aid in the writing assignments for the class and will be graded if attendance gets poor over the semester.

Narratives of Mobility and Class Papers: A Multi-Stage Assignment (700pts total): This multi-stage assignment will require you to think about the issue of class and inequality in a variety of ways in different papers throughout the semester. The intention is for you to first elaborate your views on social mobility and class early in the semester (150pts). Second, you will interview an adult, ideally older than you, about their views on class, social mobility, and the economy. You will then write a report about the interview and compare their views to yours. A video or reading will be provided to stimulate conversation for the interview (250pts). Third, you will write a brief paper reflecting on the experience of playing stratification monopoly and any insights into inequality and mobility based upon income and wealth (200pts). Fourth, you will write a brief reflection on views on inequality given what you learned over the semester, particularly in relation to an issue related to inequality and a policy solution that you deem fit, as your final paper (100pts). Each paper will potentially require at least 3-7 pages of writing, depending on the assignment. More information on this multi-stage assignment will be provided as the semester progresses.

Policy for Exams, Missed Exams, Late Assignments, and Extra Credit:

Late assignments: Normally, the policy for late assignments is that you will need a documented health, funeral, or university-sponsored excuse to complete late assignments at full credit. Assignments completed after their due dates without an excuse will receive a drop in letter grade for every two days beyond their due date. Even if you have accommodations for a disability, you should still work with me in advance of deadlines to set up appropriate due dates.

Extra credit: For up to 15 points of extra credit on your final exam, students can watch an outside documentary about material related to the class, and then write 1-2 pages describing how this event/documentary is related to or informs knowledge learned in this course. This extra credit can only be done once. Extra credit is due by the last day of class.

Assignments, Deadlines, and Grading:

Class participation (20% of final grade)

Writing and speaking in class is essential practice for learning new concepts. While each class will involve an element of lecture, students will be expected to participate in class discussions as individuals as well as through group work. Hence, students are required to read the readings before class. As you read the materials for class, you are encouraged to write memos for every reading. A good memo will (1) summarize the key arguments, key concepts, and the evidence provided, (2) evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence and argument, (3) reflect on how the reading relates to previous readings and class discussions, (4) things that are not clear to you about the argument, and (5) pose 1-2 questions about the readings. These elements will help you participate in class discussions the next day.

In-class open-book exam (30% of final grade, March 19):

This exam is designed as a checkpoint for your learning, not a high-pressure test. It will give you an opportunity to reflect on and apply the ideas we’ve explored together.

• Format: You’ll answer three short-answer questions (300-500 words each) from a set of five.
• Content: All questions will come from the readings and discussions we’ve already covered in class. If you’ve been engaged and taken notes, you’re already well-prepared.
• Allowed reference materials: You may bring printouts of the course readings to class. Laptops or other devices are not allowed.
• Goal: The exam is about demonstrating your understanding of key concepts and making connections between readings—not memorizing details.
• Support: If you have questions or want to review strategies, please come to office hours.

Class Presentation (50% of final grade, last two weeks of class) 

Your final project is an 8-minute class presentation. You can choose to focus on offshoring or immigration. 

1. You will choose a commodity, firm, or industry as your case study and discuss how the global production or immigration links workers of a Global North country and a Global South country in this case.
2. Tell us why this case is important to you, and why it’s sociologically interesting?
3. You should find ONE academic book or TWO journal articles about your case that go beyond the course readings.
4. You must also clearly engage with the relevant concepts from the course and as well as the relevant course material.
5. Extra credit: You will analyze one primary data source (original interviews, news reports, labor market surveys, government or international agency reports, documentaries, online forums/chats/social media) about workers in a Global North country and workers in a Global South country in your chosen case.

Note that this assignment is about showing that you have engaged with the course readings and can apply what you learned to a new situation.

Points to Grades: 

A (90-100), B (80-89), C (<70-79), D (60-69), F (<60)

Late assignments

The policy for late assignments is that you will need a documented health, funeral, or university-sponsored excuse for turning in late assignments at full credit. Assignments turned in after their due dates without an excuse will receive a drop in letter grade every two days beyond their due date.

Accommodations

If you are a student with learning needs that require special accommodation, contact the Office of Disability Services at 404.894.2563 or their website as soon as possible to discuss your needs and to obtain an accommodations letter. Then, make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your learning needs. 

Assignments, Deadlines, and Grading:

Class participation (10% of the final grade)

While I will be lecturing in class, this is a discussion-based class. Regular class attendance is expected. Students will be expected to participate actively in class discussions, both individually and through group work. Writing and speaking in class are essential practices for learning new concepts. Hence, students are required to read the assigned readings before each class. As you read you should think about the following: (1) summarize the key arguments, key concepts, and the evidence provided, (2) evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence and argument, (3) reflect on how the reading relates to previous readings and class discussions, (4) things that are not clear to you about the argument, and (5) pose 1-2 questions about the readings. These elements will help you participate in class discussions the next day. 

Mid-term Open Book In-class Exam (Mar 19; 30% of the final grade)

This exam is designed as a checkpoint for your learning, not a high-pressure test. It will give you an opportunity to reflect on and apply the ideas we’ve explored together.

• Format: You’ll answer three short-answer questions (300-500 words each) from a set of five.
• Content: All questions will come from the readings and discussions we’ve already covered in class. If you’ve been engaged and taken notes, you’re already well-prepared.
• Allowed reference materials: You may bring printouts of the course readings to class. Laptops or other devices are not allowed.
• Goal: The exam is about demonstrating your understanding of key concepts and making connections between readings—not memorizing details.
• Support: If you have questions or want to review strategies, please come to office hours.

Final Presentations (Apr 14, 16, 21, 23; in alphabetical order) (50% of the final grade)

Your final project is an 8-minute class presentation on AI as a form of labor automation and its impact on social inequality. You can choose a case of an occupation or industry as your focus. Regardless of the case you choose, your presentation must clearly demonstrate how you think AI impacts work and social inequality. You may choose to engage with one or more axes of inequality (class, gender, race, or Global North-South). You should find ONE academic book or TWO journal articles related to your case. You must also engage with LPT and SBTC concepts, as well as at least one other study covered in the class. You must also clearly engage with our discussions in the course as well as the course material. Note that this assignment is about showing that you have engaged with the course readings and can apply what you learned to a new situation.

Points to Grades: 

A (90-100), B (80-89), C (<70-79), D (60-69), F (<60)

Late assignments

The policy for late assignments is that you will need a documented health, funeral, or university-sponsored excuse for turning in late assignments at full credit. Assignments turned in after their due dates without an excuse will receive a drop in letter grade every two days beyond their due date.

Accommodations

If you are a student with learning needs that require special accommodation, contact the Office of Disability Services at 404.894.2563 or their website as soon as possible to discuss your needs and to obtain an accommodations letter. Then, make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your learning needs. 

Below is how your final grade will be computed. 

• Attendance    7.5%
• Participation 7.5%
• Synthesis Papers (Due by 1/30,  3/20, & 4/10) 25%
• Research Proposal (Due by 2/20)  15%
• Research Paper Presentation  15%
• Research Paper (Due by 5/5)  30% 

90% and above = A

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60-69% = D

Less than 60% = F