A Great Assignment for Social Class

Tynes, Sheryl.(2001) Bringing Social Class Home: The Social Class Genealogy and Poverty Lunch Projects. Teaching Sociology. 29(3) 286-298.

The author begins by outlining the drastic difference between self-reported social class, and actual social class by income. It is well established in sociological research that the vast majority of Americans think of themselves as middle class (although only around 40% really are middle class by sociological standards). We like to think of ourselves in the middle, not a spoiled rich kid, but not a poor person either! But the reality is that most of us in college come from the middle and upper middle class, and the working class (30% of the population) and the Lower class (Another 20% of the total population) are significantly less likely to go to college (even community colleges) because of the various disadvantages built in to their class position. It is vitally important that introductory sociology courses strive to illuminate class differences. Classes are not like cultures, races, religions, or ethnicities. They are not to be seen as different but equal. Being rich is an advantage over being poor. This article outlines an assignment that allows students to assess their own social class history (and their childhood memories of social class). The paper asks the students to include:

(1) the social class of their parents (one or both) and grandparents (e.g., jobs, education, home ownership, etc.);

(2) government programs that provide/provided economic benefits to their family or them- selves (e.g., agricultural subsidies, the GI Bill, VA home loans, college loans, tax credits, food stamps, etc.);

(3) the timing and details of the student's first childhood memory of messages/awareness of social class;

(4) the timing and details of their first childhood memories of messages/awareness of race.

I believe this assignment lets students practice applying the sociological imagination, highlights the important role of social policy in social mobility, and illustrates the socialization process surrounding both social class and race.