Drawing from classic and contemporary scholarship, the 47 readings in this anthology illustrate basic theories, concepts, and findings associated with social inequality in the United States. Many selections feature cutting-edge sociological research, providing students with new concepts and theories that inspire thought-provoking class discussion.

Table of Contents:
Preface About the Contributors Introduction Part I: Opportunity and Inequality in the United States 1: Why Inequality 2: Economic Restructuring and Systems of Inequality 3: A Half Century of Incomes 4: Social Immobility in the Land of Opportunity 5: Wealth in America: Trends in Wealth Inequality Part II: How Social Stratification is Generated Theories of Stratification 6: Manifesto of the Communist Party 7: Class, Status, Party 8: Capitalism, Patriarchy, and Job Segregation by Sex 9: A Theory of Ethnic Antagonism: The Split Labor Market Stratification and Society 10: Sponsored and Contest Mobility and the School System 11: Some Principles of Stratification 12: The Uses of Undeservingness Part III: Class Impact of Globalization in the United States 13: A General Framework for the Analysis of Class 14: Mass Production in Postmodern Times 15: Globalization, Immigration, and Changing Social Relations in U.S. Cities 16: New Migrations, New Theories Power, Division, and Class 17: The Structure of Power in American Society 18: Weeding out the Wealthy 19: The American Upper Class 20: Family Matters, Work Matters? Poverty Among Women of Color and White Women 21: Making Ends Meet at a Low-Wage Job Part IV: Race and Ethnicity Race in our Time 22: The Problem of the Twentieth-Century Is the Problem of the Color Line 23: Racial Formation American Identity and Culture 24: Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only? 25: Campaigning for Respect 26: A History of Multicultural America Race and Ethnic Division 27: The Wages of Race: Color and Employment Opportunity in Chicago's Inner City 28: The Continuing Causes of Segregation 29: Black Wealth/White Wealth 30: Beyond the Melting Pot Reconsidered 31: Not Everyone is Chosen: Segmented Assimilation and Its Determinants 32: Racial Antagonisms and Race-Based Social Policy Part V: Gender Understanding Gender 33: Gender as Structure 34: White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women's Studies 35: Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism 36: Conceptions of Masculinity and Gender Transgressions in Sport Among Adolescent Boys: Hegemony, Contestation, and the Social Class Dynamic Gendered Institutions 37: "Buddies" or "Slutties": The Collective Sexual Reputation of Fraternity Little Sisters 38: Women and Work: Exploring Race, Ethnicity, and Class 39: Why Does Jane Read and Write so Well? The Anomaly of Women's Achievement 40: Women, Men, and Work in the Twenty-First Century Part VI: Class, Race, and Gender in an Institutional Context: Education and the Environment 41: The Vital Link: Prep Schools and Higher Education 42: The Savage Inequalities of Public Education in New York 43: Can Education Eliminate Race, Class, and Gender Inequality? 44: Environmental Justice for All 45: Toxic Waste and Race in the United States 46: Black, Brown, Red, and Poisoned