Readings for Sociology 20033
Introduction to Social Problems
Fall 2018 [Course Completed]
NOTE: Readings will be posted at least a week or two in advance. If you want to get a feel for what is coming you can see the Fall 2015 list of readings here. Some topics and readings will be repeated but there will also be a lot of new material.
Opening Day Questions
[Optional] Here are the Opening Day Questions I presented in class (PDF or Powerpoint) if you want to look at them again. Many of the items linked to will be used at some point during the semester.
The culture wars 1: The struggles over LGBTQ rights, lives, and marriage
Discussion questions: How do gays cope with what is often seen as a stigmatized identify? What are the arguments - from both the left and the right - for and against gay marriage? What conflicts, if any, are there between the rights of gays and the rights of Christians? With same-sex marriage now legalized, what problems remain for the LGBTQ community? Looking longer term, what struggles have gays historically faced? What battles are transgender individuals facing today? Do any of these issues have personal relevance for you - have you been to a gay wedding, do you know of a family that has been torn apart because a child is gay or transgender, do you have gay friends who are closeted because they are afraid of what others will say? [Note: Nobody has to reveal personal details if they do not feel comfortable doing so.] [Note: Always feel free to use one or more of the optional readings to expand your discussion.] When possible, think about how the articles are interconnected. For example, you might point out how ideas like "stigma," "taking the bullet," or "dodging the bullet" apply to some article or to your own personal experiences.
Ashley Crossman briefly summarizes Erving Goffman's theory of Stigma. Jason Orne applies the perspective to gays in Queers in the Line of Fire (pp. 229-234 are required, rest is highly recommended.)
He is one of the most famous Republican lawyers in the country. He represented George Bush in Bush vs Gore 2000 and then served as Bush's Solicitor General. His wife died in 9/11. And today, Theodore Olson makes the conservative case for gay marriage. The Heritage Foundation makes its case against gay marriage (read the abstract and the key points on the first page; rest is recommended.). Long time lesbian partners Martha Ackelsberg and Judith Plaskow explain why we're not getting married.
In this 4 minute video, Ted Cruz speaks out in defense of religious liberty. The Archdiocese of Denver doesn't think the children of gays should be allowed in Catholic Schools but Bill O'Reilly and Father Jonathan Morris are divided on the issue. Frank Bruni says Christianity and homosexuality don't have to be in conflict, but Thomas Williams blasts him for saying Christians must be made to embrace the gay lifestyle. A Colorado baker is once again suing the state over religious discrimination. [Note: I may also show the videos in class, along with some other videos that are in the optional readings.]
The Observer claims Notre Dame is not doing enough to protect the LGBTQ community. Two underclassmen ask Does Notre Dame fear the queers?
Notre Dame Sociologist Abigail Ocobock finds that same-sex marriage weakens the gay community. Colin Walmsley agrees and worries about the Queers left behind. The NY Times notes that gays still face discrimination in employment and housing.
The parents of an Oklahoma transgender girl fear for their child's safety. German Lopez attacks The ugly myth about transgender people opponents of a Houston civil rights law used to win. Lopez goes on to debunk what he calls 10 common myths about transgender people.
[Optional] In a famous study, Texas Sociologist Mark Regnerus challenges the claim that gay families are just as good for children as same-sex ones. But the American Sociological Association (and numerous others) criticized his work and filed a court brief reviewing the evidence on gay marriage. Here is the complete ASA brief on Gay Marriage. Stephanie Pappas reviews the empirical evidence and argues that gay parents may be the best parents. The world's largest study on the children of same-sex parents says they are doing as well or better than the rest of the population on key health indicators.
[Optional] Memories Pizza in Walkerton Indiana created a firestorm of controversy when it said it would not cater a gay wedding (something it had never been asked to do anyway) - and received $840,000 in donations as a result. An anti-gay group blasted JC Penney's Father's Day ad. But Avis went after the gay market while Gavin Ferlic argued that being gay-friendly was good for the local economy.
[Optional] John Harwood says that the vast majority of US corporations have already voted yes on gay marriage. A group of Notre Dame faculty and staff offer a Catholic Justification for support of the LGBTQ community.Nate Silver notes that change doesn't usually come this fast.
[Optional-Video] In 2011 Barbara Bush (George's daughter) joined the ranks of Republican offspring who support gay marriage (here is her 22 second video) and Iowa college student Zach Wahls (3 minute video) made an impassioned appeal on behalf of his lesbian parents. In this short video clip, The Golden Girls made the case for gay marriage more than 20 years ago. Notre Dame graduate President Bartlett turns the tables on those who use the Bible to attack gays. Preacher Phil Snider gives a gay rights speech with an unusual twist.
[Optional] Gay activist Katherine Franke warns that same-sex marriage is a mixed blessing. June Thomas says I'm a lesbian and I'm never getting married. Why are you?
[Optional] Here is Abigail Ocobock's full article on Status Or Access? The Impact Of Marriage On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Queer Community Change
[Optional] "Same-sex marriage advocacy has accomplished an amazing feat - it has made being anti-homophobic synonymous with being pro-marriage. It has drowned out centuries of critical thinking and activism against the racialized, colonial, and patriarchal processes of state regulation of family and gender through marriage." For a really radical left-wing attack against gay marriage, take a look at Spade and Willse's Marriage Will Never Set us Free.
[Optional] Notre Dame alum Greg Bourke was named one of National Catholic Reporter's 2015 Persons of the Year for his efforts to legalize gay marriage.
[Optional-Video] Notre Dame Athletics says If you can play, you can play.
[Optional] Some people predict that the first openly gay President of the United States will be South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg. In this video clip Buttigieg and Eli Williams help to reopen the LGBTQ Center in South Bend. Here is a picture of Mayor Pete with community developer Anne Mannix.
[Optional - Many find it fascinating while others don't like it at all] In one of the most controversial sociological studies ever done, Laud Humphries examined the covert lives of closeted homosexuals in Tea Room Trade. Laura MacDonald did an update in America's toe-tapping menace.
[Optional] An August 2004 op-ed piece lamented that Notre Dame was ranked as the most homophobic school in the country and urged students to prove the ranking wrong. A horrible anti-gay cartoon that somehow got published in the Observer in January 2010 probably didn't help. But in 2015 ND suddenly dropped out of the top 20. Maybe it was because in early 2012 members of the 4 to 5 movement said It Needs to Get Better at Notre Dame -- and then in late 2012 the University responded by making major changes in LGBT policy. A few months before that Notre Dame students exposed The Gay Agenda.
[Optional] A Notre Dame students writes a defense of Christian bakers who won't make wedding cakes for gay weddings.
[Optional] A student describes what it is like to be Gay and Catholic at Notre Dame.
[Optional] Samantha Schmidt discusses the splits within the ranks of feminists whether Women's issues are different from trans women's issues. Michigan's Womyn's Fest was torn by controversies over transgender exclusion. In a controversial article, Jesse Singal discusses the difficult issues that are faced When Children Say They are Trans - but Alex Barasch blasts her for focusing only on a few problematic cases and ignoring all the successes. Julian Wyllie outlines how Women's Colleges Are Handling Transgender Applicants. Luisa Selin Davis has to keep telling people her daughter is not transgender - she's just a tomboy.
The culture wars 2: The battle over abortion and reproductive rights
Discussion questions: Has the feminist movement universally supported abortion rights? What unique issues are raised in the debate over abortion and Down Syndrome? Why was the Tebow family's seemingly innocuous Super Bowl ad so controversial? Why was George Tiller a hero in some people's eyes and a baby killer in others? What strategies are effective and ineffective in reducing abortion? Is it acceptable or not acceptable for Catholics to support pro-choice candidates and/or organizations like Planned Parenthood? What have been some of the controversies at Notre Dame surrounding abortion? Obama is the obvious example, but there are many others. Why do some object to stem cell research while others strongly support it? How and why do religions differ in their beliefs about when life begins and how do those differences impact their attitudes toward abortion and stem cell research? Do any of these issues have personal relevance for you, e.g. do you know people who have had abortions; or people who have refused to have abortions despite the adversity they faced; or do you know anyone with Down Syndrome and if so, what has their life been like? [Note: As always, nobody has to reveal personal details if they do not feel comfortable doing so.]
How did Susan B. Anthony and other early feminists feel about abortion? Emily Crockett examines whether there is room for Pro-Life Feminists in the women's movement.
There are ongoing battles over whether or not abortion should be legal - but according to the Guttmacher Institute, across the world, abortion rates are about the same whether it is legal or not.
Ruth Graham discusses How Down Syndrome is Redefining the Abortion Debate. It is called "screening" but George Will says it is really a search and destroy mission in the attack on kids with Down Syndrome. Time notes that the life prospects for those with Down Syndrome have never been better - and the ability to abort them has never been greater. Rachel Adams says My son with Down syndrome is not a mascot for abortion restrictions. Likewise Emily Barbero opted to keep her baby, knowing that he might never walk or talk - and she tells Republicans how they can prove they are pro-life too.
View Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow's seemingly innocuous Super Bowl ad that ignited a national controversy. William Saletan countered with what he called the grisly truth about the ad.
Bill O'Reilly called murdered abortion doctor George Tiller Tiller the Baby Killer, but Barbara Shelley claims he helped thousands. William Saletan asks troubling and provocative questions in Is it Wrong to Murder an Abortionist?
In 2004, it was Notre Dame intramural warfare as scholars Mark Roche, Gerard Bradley, and Charles Rice battled over whether or not Catholics could vote in good conscience for John Kerry. Douglas Kmiec is a conservative legal scholar, a former law professor at Notre Dame, and a past advisor to Ronald Reagan and Mitt Romney. But in 2008, he said Sorry McCain. Barack Obama is a natural for the Catholic vote.
Sister Margaret McBride was excommunicated for agreeing to an abortion that probably saved a woman's life. Pro-life Catholic Julianna Baggott and columnist Nicholas Kristof defended her.
In 2012, Notre Dame Professor Carter Snead and Princeton Professor Robert George blasted abortion provider Planned Parenthood. About the same time, John Saveland explained why he's pro-life and supports Planned Parenthood while William Saletan argued that funding Planned Parenthood was the best way to reduce the need and demand for abortions. But Ross Douthat fiercely disagrees and says there is no pro-life case for Planned Parenthood.
In the views of alumnus Paul Witkowski, On abortion, Notre Dame gets only marginal grades. Notre Dame students explain Why they will join the March for Life and Why they won't.
Barack Obama's March 2009 decision to expand federal funding for stem cell research exposed sharp religious divides over when life begins. Nancy Reagan and Arthur Caplan praised the decision. Parkinson's victim Michael Kinsley explains what pro-lifers are missing in the stem cell debate.
[Optional] CNN offers some Fast Facts on Roe V Wade.
[Optional] Professor Ralph McInerny claimed that Notre Dame forfeited its right to call itself a Catholic university when it invited Barack Obama to speak at commencement. Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz of Lincoln said he was "utterly appalled" by Omaha native and ND President John Jenkins' "absolute indifference to the murderous abortion program and beliefs of this President of the United States." Professor Richard Williams had kinder words for his fellow Nebraskan.
[Optional] The Feminists for Life web site expands on its call for a pro-woman, pro-life feminist revolution. Pro-choice advocate Roland Klain fears that Reversing Roe V Wade will be just the beginning of the judicial attack on women's reproductive rights.
[Optional] Georgia Right to Life touched off a firestorm of controversy when it launched a campaign claiming abortion is the primary tool in a decades-old conspiracy to kill off blacks. But Linda Greenhouse says Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman in Congress, would strongly disagree.
[Optional] Studies from the Guttmacher Institute offer facts on induced abortion in the United States and worldwide, and also examine the reasons US women have abortions. The Guttmacher Institute further notes that the abortion rate is at an all time low -- and claims that better birth control is largely to thanks. Anti-abortion groups, however, argue that the drop shows new state restrictions on abortion are working.
[Optional] A 2018 study by the World Health Organization and the Guttmacher Institute says nearly half the world's abortions are unsafe. In Leeches, Lye and Spanish Fly, Kate Manning warns about the dangers of illegal and unsafe abortions. Personhood USA counters that a baby is not the worst thing that can happen to a rape victim -- an abortion is. Columnist Margaret Carlson is pro-choice - but even she isn't comfortable with Partial-Truth Abortion.
[Optional] Some said "The poster child jumped off the poster" when Norma McCorvey (Roe of Roe V. Wade) converted to being a pro-life advocate. The Washington Post profiled McCorvey when she died in 2017.
[Optional] Emma Green discusses whether Science Is Giving the Pro-Life Movement a Boost. Religious groups, scientists and doctors debate whether some popular forms of contraception cause abortions. The New York Times reviews the scientific evidence and concludes abortion qualms on the morning after pill may be unfounded. Father John Jenkins chose not to include alleged abortion-causing drugs when he announced Notre Dame's new contraceptive coverage policy. Tara Culp-Pressler argues that the birth control method Hobby Lobby won't cover is leading to a decline in teenage pregnancies.
[Optional-Video] Professor Richard Williams & Father Jonathan Morris debated Barack Obama's visit to Notre Dame. Richard Williams and Randall Terry offered their opinions of each other. [NOTE: I hesitate to include videos of myself, partly because I don't like how I look but mostly because I don't want anyone to feel like they have to agree with what I say. You are free to take whatever positions you want so long as you can defend them. Also note that Williams praises the efforts of both the pro-life and pro-choice students on campus.]
[Optional-Video] In this one minute clip, Dr. Willie Parker, the only abortion provider in Mississippi, is confronted by an angry protester. The Washington Post explains Why Willie Parker changed his mind about abortion. In one of the most memorable moments of the ND Obama protests, Father Norman Weslin was arrested for defending the unborn (see especially the first 3 minutes or so). Pam and Bob Tebow expand on their pro-life beliefs and their decision not to abort Tim despite the great risks. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argued that, for the women of the world, abortion should be legal, safe, and rare.
[Optional] Ohio has passed a controversial law banning abortion in Down syndrome cases. CNN expands on the ensuing controversy.
[Optional] Mark Schrad has a child with Down Syndrome. He explains why he and his wife decided not to abort - and why he supports the right of others to choose differently. If you are curious about how Jonathan Will is doing, George Will updates his story here and here.
[Optional] NPR explains how China's One_Child Policy led to forced abortions and 30 million batchelors. George Will condemns Iceland for its genocidal campaign to eliminate people with Down Syndrome.
[Optional] Liza Mundey warns that there are moral dilemmas about what to do with the Souls on Ice -- the hundreds of thousands of frozen unused embryos.
[Optional] Four Notre Dame students argue that Planned Parenthood may have a new face, but it still has the same (dismal) legacy. (I'm linking to the original source because the online comments are also very book. But if the link doesn't work, a pdf version is here.)
Blacks Lives Matter: Minorities and the criminal justice system
Discussion questions: What is the new Jim Crow? What are the arguments that support or refute it? How have the lives of blacks allegedly been affected by it? Is the Black Lives Matter movement making legitimate claims or is it distracting from the real problems faced by black communities? What other arguments are offered, from both the left and right, on why the criminal justice system operates the way it does? What have your own experiences (if any) with the police been like - do you tend to view them as friend or enemy?
In On the Run (later expanded into this highly acclaimed book) Alica Goffman argues that the threat of imprisonment (often for minor infractions) has disrupted the lives of young black men in Philadelphia.
In this excerpt from her book The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander claims that, thanks to the criminal justice system and the war on drugs, we have not ended racial caste in America - we have merely redesigned it. She further summarizes her argument in this article from Mother Jones.
The Sentencing Project examines the causes and consequences of racial inequality in the American criminal justice system (Executive Summary; complete report is linked to below). Marc Howard makes some similar points as he explains What Serena Williams's defeat tells us about the criminal-justice system.
R.L. Stephens argues that mass incarceration is not the new Jim Crow and that black leaders were complicit in the rise of the prison system. Heather MacDonald contends that the criminal justice system is not racist and that the high percentage of blacks behind bars reflects crime rates, not bigotry.
African-American grandmother Peggy Hubbard's scathing attack on black lives matter went viral. If you want to watch it, here is her profanity-laced video. (She later apologized for the language but not the sentiment). Conservative writer Rich Lowry expressed similar sentiments to Peggy Hubbard when he said for progressives, only some black lives matter. But Matthew Yglesias warns that White-on-White Murder is Out of Control. (Some might suspect he is being a little sarcastic or satirical, but his numbers are valid.)
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani accused Obama and Black Leaders of stoking anti-police hatred. Veteran police officer Sunil Dutta defends the police and says that I�m a cop. If you don't want to get hurt, don�t challenge me. But former police officer Reddit Hudson claims that many of his peers were racist and violent and knew they could violate rights with impunity.
Megan Underhill says police calls for living while black have gotten out of hand -- and now you have to worry about being at home while black and getting blamed afterwards.
RedState is a very right-wing web page -- but contributor Leon Wolf says Many Conservatives are Blowing it on the Ferguson DOJ report. Erick Erickson, former editor of RedState, makes a similar argument in Ferguson is not Binary. Viewing things from the left, Emory Professor Carol Anderson says Ferguson isn�t about black rage against cops. It�s white rage against progress.
[Optional] Wesley Lowery says Police are still killing black people. Why isn't it news anymore? He says the activism never stopped. But the attention to it vanished.
[Optional] These articles all have long, in-depth discussions. The Washington Post claims there is massive bias in our police systems and offers what it calls overwhelming proof. (Here is a pdf if the direct link doesn't work.) The New York Times maintains a chronology of stories on Police Brutality, Misconduct and Shootings. The NYT also talks about the stubborn problem of testilying by the police.
[Optional-Video] These pictures from Katrina sparked controversy over how black and white crime are depicted. The NY Times offers several videos that are sparking outrage of Black Lives upended by policing.
[Optional-Video] In this highly acclaimed 16 minute March 2015 TED talk, Alice Goffman discusses how we are priming some kids for college - and others for prison.
[Optional-Video] Vice News was in the right place at the right time in this disturbing 22 minute documentary on Charlottesville: Race and Terror. (Warning: lots of profanity, racism and violence]. Adam Driver (Mishawaka High School class of 2001) says there were plenty of KKK rallies when he was growing up in St. Joseph County, and the facts support him.
[Optional] Rolling Stone presents what it claims are 11 racist police killings with no justice served.
[Optional] Here is the complete Sentencing Project's Report on Eliminating Racial Inequity in the Criminal Just System.
[Optional] Retired physician and author David Hilfiker offers his useful and detailed summary and review of The New Jim Crow. [Note: some of the language may be offensive but overall it may be a more complete summary of the book than the excerpts in the required readings.]
[Optional] The Reverend Jasper Williams sparked a firestorm of controversy when he talked about black-on-black crime at Aretha Franklin's Funeral.
[Optional] Alice Goffman's On the Run is one of the most highly acclaimed Sociological books in years. The New York Times hailed it as "A remarkable feat of reporting . . . The level of detail in this book and Goffman's ability to understand her subjects' motivations are astonishing--and riveting." But in summer 2015 several critics started questioning her honesty and ethics. Here is a very detailed attack and a much shorter one. Goffman wrote a reply to her critics but Steven Lubet said she just raised even more concerns.
[Optional] In President Obama's Department of Injustice, Alec Karakatnis blasted the Obama administration for keepings tens of thousands of poor people languishing in federal prisons on illegal sentences.
[Optional] The Ban the Box Movement aims to end structural discrimination against people with conviction and incarceration histories, primarily in the areas of hiring and housing policy. This video explains the movement. To learn more, check out the campaign's web page. However, businesses have expressed concerns about the movement, and the Pew Institute warns that Ban the Box laws may be hurting young black men seeking jobs. George Will says there is no good reason to stop felons from voting.
[Optional] Debra Dickerson writes Know your Enemy: Heather MacDonald. Some of the reader comments (especially the first one by Michael Cohen) are much better than the article itself. MacDonald makes a powerful case in her article about the criminal justice system not being racist but some of the comments provide strong counter (or supporting) arguments.
[Optional] The New York Times (April 2015) says that, because of early deaths and incarceration, more than 1.5 million black men are missing.
[Optional] A 2015 study says mass incarceration did not lower the crime rate.
[Optional] Facebook was torn by controversy when the Notre Dame Women's Basketball team declared I can't breathe. Here is the famous video of Eric Garner that inspired the protest.
[Optional] A lot of people claimed that a gender double-standard hurt Serena Williams at the 2018 US. But the NY Times shows that men are actually penalized more often.
[Optional] In The Underpolicing of Black America, Jill Leovy says that police are better at stopping African Americans at random than they are at halting an epidemic of murder. Jen�e Desmond-Harris says that black communities are both under-policed and over-policed, and that being both harassed and ignored is a bad combination.
[Optional] Radley Balko counters Giuliani and says there is no war on cops and that those who claim otherwise are playing a dangerous game.
Wealth, Poverty and Inequality: The Problems of the Poor and the Middle Class
Discussion questions: What are the problems of the American poor? What are some of the ways that the poor try to cope with poverty, and why is it so difficult for them to do so? What are some of the specific examples that you find particularly striking? How has poverty become a multi-billion dollar industry? Why do some people say the middle class is collapsing? What factors are supposedly contributing to this collapse? What causes middle class families to go bankrupt, and what effect does bankruptcy have on their lives? Do you agree with Elizabeth's Warren on the problems of student debt, and what should be done about it? Why might others disagree with you? [Note: some of the readings are qualitative and long but they are entertaining to read and it isn't hard to grasp their major points.]
Part 1. Overview of Wealth, Poverty and Inequality
This 6 minute video graphically depicts Wealth Inequality in America. Elizabeth Warren argues that nobody got rich on their own in her famous one-minute You didn't build that speech. In this hour-long YouTube video, then-Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren discussed The Coming Collapse of the Middle Class. I plan to show these in class but watch them on your own if I don't.
Part 2. Poverty and Inequality
In 2014 Barbara Ehrenreich wrote about how it is expensive to be poor. She speaks from experience - she tried working for several months as a poor person and wrote about it in Nickel and Dimed.
In Working the System that is working her, Jennifer Friedman and Laurel Graham describe how one woman dealt with poverty and all the obstacles it presented her with. (Fascinating albeit long; you don't have to read it super-carefully.)
Linda Tirado was poor herself -- and she explains why she thinks poor people make bad decisions. German Lopez challenges 11 myths about homelessness in America.
Business Week discusses the role that luck plays in making someone rich or poor. Amia Srinivasan argues that the rich are dependents of the state too.
What should be done about poverty? Edin and Shaefer blast the Clinton-era welfare reforms and claim America's Poorest are getting virtually no assistance. Mark Rank says we need to rethink poverty and its solutions. Catholic Charities of Fort Worth praised Paul Ryan for his understanding of poverty. In 2014 the future Speaker of the House blasted the Obama administration for a system that perpetuates poverty. In investing in our children, Robert Samuelson argues that government programs can only do so much to combat poverty.
Gary Rivlin describes how payday lenders and others have helped to turn poverty into a multibillion dollar industry.
Part 3. The Problems of the Middle Class
Robert Reich warns that a weak middle class hurts everyone, including the rich.
Elizabeth Warren outlines why middle-class families go bankrupt. Deborah Thorne explains why many find it hard to make a fresh start after bankruptcy. Thorne further discusses how financial distress affects families, especially women.
Elizabeth Warren says $1.2 trillion in student loan debt is keeping young people out of the middle class, and describes what she thinks should be done about it. [Note: The article is only a few pages long. But, I left the comments in, in case you want to skim through them. A lot of people agree with Warren while others have no sympathy for students whatsoever!] But Allison Shrager says that Bernie Sanders' plan for free college tuition is a terrible idea.
[Optional] The World Hunger Education Service overviews Poverty and Hunger in the United States in 2016.
[Optional] Child Trends assesses Child poverty in the aftermath of the Great Recession.
[Optional] Andrew Jabobs reviews Sidewalk, where Mitchell Duneier discusses how he spent five years examining the lives of poor book vendors in New York. Here are some excerpts from Sidewalk.
[Optional-Video] Here is the hour-long video for Sidewalk. You may or may not need to download it first (1.3 GB). It is in mpg4 format and is freely available. Here is the whole DVD (7 GB, in iso format) which has some extra features if you want it.
[Optional] William Julius Wilson reviews Edin and Shaefer's book $2 a day: Living on Almost Nothing in America,
[Optional] Eden & Shaefer describe one survival strategy of the poor -- Donating Plasma.
[Optional] Gary Rivlin says more about Fat times for the poverty industry.
[Optional-Video] In this humorous, profane, but also accurate clip, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver discusses Predatory Lending. Warning: Language is a bit crude at times. The Center for Responsible Lending has some more conventional but also very good videos. The CRL also addresses Payday Lending: Myths and Facts.
[Optional] Mark Rank's ConfrontingPoverty.org site offers several tools for understanding American inequality.
[Optional] In 2016 the Republican Party proposed what it thought was a better way to deal with Poverty, Opportunity, and Upward Mobility.
[Optional] Jesse Miler discusses The Disappearing Black Middle Class.
[Optional] In this 2012 report, Elizabeth Warren and Deborah Thorne update how bankruptcy is affecting the middle class.
[Optional] The NY Times has interesting statistics on economic diversity and student outcomes at Notre Dame. You can look up other schools too if you want. For a broader picture see here. Notre Dame isn't the richest school out there, but it is pretty high up, and we also seem to be on the lower side as far as economic diversity goes.
Gender Inequality and Gender Roles
Discussion questions: Christina Hoff Sommers has declared that there is a "war against boys." What does she base her claims on? In what ways are men disadvantaged compared to women? Why do some counter that the "Boy Crisis" is a myth? Similarly, why does Hannah Rosin ask if we are seeing "The end of men?" What arguments support or refute her claims that modern postindustrial society is better suited to women? In what ways are women still disadvantaged, and what are some of the reasons for those disadvantages? What are some of the benefits and drawbacks to the gains that women have made? How have even toys become a source of controversy in the debate over gender roles?
Many feel that schools shortchange girls. Not Christina Hoff Sommers. Indeed, she thinks there is a War Against Boys [excerpts]. Judith Warner, on the other hand, says the Boy Crisis is little more than a myth.
Why are boys so unruly? It is in their nature, says Christina Hoff Sommers, and efforts to make them more docile and emotional are misguided.
Employed women are working a Second Shift when they get home, says Arlie Hothschild. Demographer and ND graduate Suzanne Bianchi, on the other hand, finds remarkable gender equality in total workloads.
Women are now the backbone of the economy, says Kate Snow. In The End of Men, Hanna Rosin reports on the unprecedented gender role reversal now under way and its vast cultural consequences. [Pages 7, 8 and 13 are required; the rest of the article is highly recommended.] But Stephanie Coontz attacks The Myth of Male Decline.
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic asks the age-old question: Why do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? Ruth Graham says It's Time to Admit That Allowing Men Into the Workplace Was a Mistake.
Christina Hoff-Summers and Jillian Berman debate the accuracy of the often made claim that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns.
Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, attributes the gender gap in corporate leadership to chauvinism and corporate obstacles -- but also, in part, to women who don't aggressively pursue opportunities. Eve Tahmincioglu counters that women are doing all the right things but they still lag behind men.
In an interesting and entertaining four part series, Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant team up to explain gender discrimination at work, why women stay quiet at work, how women help more around the office but benefit less, and How Men Can Succeed in the Boardroom and the Bedroom.
There have been many benefits in the gains that women have made. But Emma Green argues that as the demands on women's time increased, communities suffered, in What America Lost as Women Entered the Workforce.
Even children's toys have become part of the battleground over gender roles. Organizations like Let Toys be Toys and No Gender December are battling against the gendered marketing of toys. Goldie Blox offers award-winning construction toys for girls. Here is the ad that helped to put Goldie Blox in the national spotlight. Even Barbie has come a long ways since the 1990s. However Target created a firestorm of controversy when it announced that it would stop labeling toys for boys or girls. Luckily an outside volunteer going by the name of Ask ForHelp chimed in on Facebook to help with outraged customers. Christina Hoff Summers says you can give a boy a doll but you can't make him play with it.
[Optional] In her 2013 op-ed piece The Boys at the Back, Christina Hoff Sommers updates her arguments on the war against boys.
[Optional] Jennifer Britz apologizes to all the girls she has rejected - for admission to college. But apologies are not enough, says Richard Whitmire. He says women are discriminated against in college admissions and they ought to sue.
[Optional] On September 20, 2011, Hanna Rosin, Christina Hoff Sommer, and others participated in a debate entitled True or False: Men are Finished. And the winner was... The video (One hour and 49 minutes) is great if you have time to watch it. Time permitting, we will show excerpts in class. But Hanna Rosin faced much more formidable opponents in this 5 minute debate.
[Optional] Why does the gender wage gap persist? Part of the reason is that As Women Take Over a Male-Dominated Field, the Pay Drops. Politifact further analyzes the claim that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. In this lengthy but easy to read piece, Sarah Kliff tries to tell The truth about the gender wage gap.
[Optional] Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic asks the age-old question: Why do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?
[Optional] Black doctors (mostly female) tell Delta #WhatADoctorLooksLike.
[Optional] Dan Abrams argues that Women Rule as doctors and investors. But anesthesiologist Karen Sibert says too many women doctors are working part-time and leaving the profession and we can no longer afford to continue training doctors who don't spend their careers in the fulltime practice of medicine. Eye surgeon Carolyn Anderson thinks Sibert is distorting the statistics and being unfair to women and explains why doctors should be allowed to work part-time.
[Optional-Video] In these TED videos, Michael Kimmel explains why gender equality is good for everyone. Elizabeth Nyamayaro offers an invitation to men who want a better world for women.
[Optional] The late Suzanne Bianchi received her Master's Degree from Notre Dame (and was four years ahead of me at Creighton). Her New York Times Obituary covered some of the highlights of her life's work on gender roles.
The #MeToo Movement and the Battle Against Sexual Harassment and Assault
Discussion questions: Why do so many women fail to report sexual harassment and assault -- and why and how has that started to change? What are some of the widely believed myths about sexual assault and how do they affect our actions toward alleged victims? How common is sexual assault anyway?
What are major arguments made for the #MeToo movement, and what are the counter-arguments against it? What are the arguments for ending the #Metoo movement -- or for why it should never have been started in the first place? Why do some say that the #MeToo movement is causing unjust harm to men?
Why has The Hunting Ground been both praised and condemned? Specific cases from the movie (including one involving Notre Dame) are debated in the readings -- what are some of the major arguments presented, and how compelling do you find them?
Why has the #MeToo movement caused some -- including people who starred in them -- to re-evaluate the most popular films of the past? In light of #MeToo, do you find anything in past or present TV shows and movies disturbing?
If you feel comfortable sharing them, what are your own personal experiences and opinions on these issues? What, if anything, do you think should be done about sexual harassment and assault? Do you think the #MeToo movement has gone too far or not far enough?
Time Magazine names The Silence Breakers -- the men and women who spoke up against sexual harassment and assault -- as its 2017 Person of the Year. (The article is much shorter than it looks -- much of it is pictures -- and you can feel free to skim through it.) If the link doesn't work then here is a PDF version. Ashley Judd, Taylor Swift, Megan Kelly, and a lot of other people you may or may not have heard of are featured. This 3 minute video briefly tells the story of some of the people featured in the story.
The BBC debunks several myths about sexual assault -- including some that may have unjustly undermined the claims of Christine Blasey Ford. Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan's daughter, explains why she doesn't remember many of the details from her sexual assault either.
"If the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Donald Trump tweeted. But College students explain #WhyIDidntReport. Monica Hess tells dads why their daughters never told you.
Donald Trump says this is a scary time for men. But the statistics say that false reports of sexual assault are very uncommon. The NSVRC draws similar conclusions and warns that misconceptions about false reporting rates cause many sexual assault victims to not report at all.
Sexual assault victim Emily Yoffe expresses her concerns about the Kavanaugh hearings and the problems she sees with the #BelieveSurvivors movement. Conservative Matt Walsh says the Kavanaugh case proves it is time for the #MeToo Movement to end.
Sociology has its own #MeToo moment as one of its star scholars is accused of sexual harassment. Marc Parry asks if the profession is heeding the lessons of social science research. The articles includes an interesting discussion of why popular programs for dealing with sexual harassment seemingly don't work.
ND Alum Melinda Henneberger explained why she wasn't cheering for Old Notre Dame in the 2012 National Championship game. ND Business Professor John Gaski counters that there was an assault -- against the honor and integrity of a fine university. Regardless of who is right, Notre Dame made important changes to its Sexual Assault policies in September 2011 and May 2015.
The claim that one in five college women have been sexually assaulted has been hotly disputed. PBS explains the controversy. The Hunting Ground says numerous studies support the figure and the ones that don't are flawed. But Christina Hoff Sommers warns that the numbers are vastly overstated. Angus Johnston counters that Hoffman is a rape denialist. (First 4 pages required; remaining pages are comments you may find interesting.) But most seem to agree that, whatever the number is, it is too high.
Here is the trailer for The Hunting Ground. Newseek calls the film terrifyingly true. But Emily Yoffee says The Hunting Ground blurs the truth and puts advocacy ahead of accuracy. In a 6 minute video, The Factual Feminist accuses The Hunting Gound of sensationalism and shoddy journalism. NPR notes that others have both praised and criticized the film. The directors of the film claim the facts support them.
Molly Ringwald, star of the 1985 John Hughes classic The Breakfast Club, revisits the memories of her youth in the age of #MeToo. If you have Netflix you can view the movie for free. The scene Ringwald is most concerned about appears around the 53:00 mark. Here is the trailer. (I've always loved the film but I admit to having some of the same mixed feelings that Ringwald describes.)
[Optional but highly recommended] In some #MeToo cases, there is near universal agreement about how terrible the person's behavior was. Vox explains why Anziz Ansari's case is not one of them.
[Optional] The New York Times presents eight stories of men who regret how they have treated women in the past.
[Optional] In this July 2018 article, the Chair of Columbia Sociology and his colleagues explain the social risks of labeling, telling, and reporting sexual assaults. This article deploys ethnographic data to explain why some students do not label experiences as sexual assault or report those experiences. You may want to read the abstract and pp. 441-456 and skim the rest.
[Optional] A detailed 2017 study reviews numerous studies that have been done on the one in five statistic and concludes the figure sounds about right. (See especially Pages 566-572 if just want the most important points.)
[Optional] Time's editors explain their choice of The Silence Breakers for 2017 Person of the Year. This two minute Washington Post video explains why Taylor Swift deserved to be on Time's cover.
[Optional] Twitter offers several more accounts of #WhyIDidntReport.
[Optional] If you have Netflix, you can watch The Hunting Ground. Segments on Notre Dame appear at the 36:56 and 47:50 marks. If you don't mind waiting through a bunch of annoying commercials, CNN has several clips from the documentary. Lady Gaga's 5 minute graphic video Til it gets better was featured in the film.
[Optional] Melinda Henneberger elaborates on her condemnation of Notre Dame's handling of the Lizzy Seeberg case.
[Optional] In this lengthy article, Emily Yoffe criticizes Campus Rape Policies for their lack of due process and the destructive effects they can have on the unjustly accused.
[Optional] The Council on Contemporary Families reviews the research on Sexual Assault on Campus. The U.S. Department of Justice provides rape and sexual assault statistics The DOJ also explains why reported victimization rates differ widely across sources.
[Optional] In these 5 minute videos, the Factual Feminist attacks Sexual Assault Myths and the hysteria of rape culture. Some of the articles say pretty much the same thing but the videos may be more entertaining. Christine Hoff Sommers makes some similar points in the article Panic is not an answer.
[Optional] Heather Mac Donald attacks the #MeToo's movement impossible premise.
[Optional] Another Sociology Professor -- this time a woman -- is accused of sexual harassment.
[Optional] For a somewhat lighter take on the issues, female satirist Alexandra Petri warns that every man should be worried.
[Optional] Monica Lewinsky says Bill Clinton should apologize. Both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump have had numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault made against them.
[Optional] Here are several resources for the victims of sexual assault.
