Description:
Contemporary politics abounds with claims about who is privileged or marginalized and why. This seminar situates these conflicts within a broader exploration of how class and identity both structure inequality, rather than treating them as separate or competing stories. In the first part of the course, we push our understanding of core concepts, examining how identities can be strategic, how class encompasses networks and culture as well as material resources, and how inequality is built into everyday dynamics that rarely involve the ultra-rich. We then survey literatures on caste, immigration, diversity, and welfare chauvinism to examine how these concepts structure politics across contexts and domains. The final part of the course addresses live controversies around identity politics, reparations, and DEI, engaging with cutting-edge academic research alongside data journalism, opinion pieces, and popular culture. Throughout the course, we collaboratively develop an analytical framework for understanding issues of class, identity, and inequality.