Social Stratification

At the core of the social stratification area is a concern with all types and levels of social inequality. Faculty within this area are actively engaged in research and teaching on structural aspects of social inequality related to race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and gender in U.S. institutions. Department members are contributing to knowledge of how schools, families, the labor market, and formal organizations produce and maintain social inequality. At the same time, the research of scholars in this area shapes policies meant to alter long-standing systems of social stratification in the United States . WSU graduate student training in social stratification reflects this wide range of faculty interest and students are encouraged to take specialized seminars on gender, education, and labor markets.