Module 30-M-Soz-M7a Social Structure Analysis and Social Inequality a

The module provides basic knowledge of the state of the art in social structure, life course and inequality research. Students acquire the ability to work on questions of social structure analysis. Students are able to theoretically reflect on problems and fields of research in social structure analysis with recourse to
relevant literature and carry out methodically controlled empirical analyses.

This module focuses on the manifestations, causes and consequences of social differentiation and inequality in social change. In terms of social structure, the focus is on the question of how mere differences between members of society - such as gender, age, ethnicity, social background - become social inequalities in terms of life chances and risks. This also involves the theoretical and empirical examination of postulated major trends in recent social development, for example with regard to the validity of meritocratic principles, disintegration, polarisation and pluralisation trends, the transformation of the working society or the repression of the nation-state frame of reference in favour of transnational references and regional affiliation.

Methodologically, the module focuses on longitudinal and life course research. Longitudinal analysis in particular is methodologically capable of empirically and adequately investigating the effects of structural and institutional developments on the development, life paths and behaviour of individual and collective actors and the social change induced as a result. The basic idea of the life course approach is that stability and change in social orders can best be captured by examining how cultural, institutional and structural framework conditions demand and promote certain characteristics and behaviours, and what consequences individual decisions and behaviour have in the face of cultural, institutional and structural framework conditions.

In more theoretically orientated seminars (a), students learn a critical and reflective approach, particularly to

• newer behavioural science approaches,
• general theories of social structure, social change and social inequality and socio-structural organisational research;
• international comparative research;
• special theories of various topics of social structure analysis.

In empirical seminars (b) linked to practical applications, a theory-led examination of subject-related questions takes place.

In the decidedly research-oriented seminars of module (c), advanced analyses such as longitudinal and multi-level analyses are carried out with existing data.

Students with comparatively little prior knowledge in the field of social structure and social inequality are recommended to choose at least one of the seminars from thematic area (a).

The module programme is always completed with a written assignment. This always takes the form of a term paper.

(1) It is assumed that students have a basic knowledge of social structure analysis at the level of the introductory Bachelor's course. The slides and recordings of the corresponding lecture are available for self-study. Alternatively, or additionally, the following textbooks can be consulted: Jörg Rössel (2009): Sozialstrukturanalyse. Vs Verlag; Johannes Huinink/Torsten Schröder (2008): Sozialstruktur Deutschlands. UTB; Steffen Mau/Roland Verwiebe (2009): Die Sozialstruktur Europas.UTB.

(2) Basic knowledge of quantitative methods of empirical social research at the level of cross-sectional simple multivariate methods. Knowledge of Stata

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