Soc714X Social Class

Each group will address the mobility prospects of a hypothetical case. Write a one paragraph narrative describing what you think the mobility outcome will be and why. Refer to information in Gilbert and the readings to support your explanation.

I. Meghan, white, 18 yrs., parents divorced, lives with mother (mid-career civil service), attended public high school in New York City.

II. Amanda, black, 22 yrs., lives with parents (father: police officer; mother: public school teacher), attends Kingsborough Community College while working for minimum wage.

III. Felix, hispanic, 18 yrs., lives with parents (father: engineer; mother: college professor), attended private school in Nassau County.

IV. Michael, white, 23 yrs., lives with girlfriend and infant daughter, works as a laborer for a construction company in Brooklyn. Neither parent attended college, nor has Michael.

V. Connie, asian, 19 yrs., lives with mother (nurse), graduated from NYC public high school with honors, works in retail.

VI. Mary, black, 22 yrs., emigrated from Jamaica at age 10, parents still live modest middle-class life in Jamaica, lives alone. Attends Brooklyn College in the evening while working as a nanny.

Note: This is an in-class group exercise.