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olivier godechot |
Sociology of inequalities
Master of sociology, M1, Fall 2025
Fridays 12:15-14:15
Room 15 (27, rue Saint Guillaume)
Olivier Godechot and Lidia Panico (CRIS)
Rationale of the course
Social inequalities form a core object of sociological research. Starting from classical concepts and theories, this course highlights the multi-dimensional nature of inequalities, spanning from macro- to micro-level research. Lectures draw on empirical works, aiming at making students familiar with both theories and existing evidence on major areas and dimensions of inequalities.
The course is divided into three modules. In the first one (Olivier Godechot), the focus will be placed on general theories of inequality and on a description of global inequalities at the macro level. In the second module (Lidia Panico), particular attention is paid to social class and the role of education and health as both inequality-generating and equalizing mechanisms. In the third module (Lidia Panico and Olivier Godechot), gender and ethnic dimensions are explored, leading to a discussion of the intersectionality of social inequalities.
Class organization
Each session is organized in three sections: lecture, students’ oral presentation and a class discussion.
The oral presentation is a discussion of a research paper (about three students; focusing on theory, methods, and sociopolitical implications of the paper). 15 min
Evaluation
Students’ evaluation is based on: (1) an oral presentation (30% of final grade), a paper submitted BEFORE the last class (30% of the final grade), consisting of a 1000 words document detailing a research question and hypotheses you would like to explore, given the materials studied in this course. The paper will document the key theories and concepts, and how they link to the research question and hypotheses proposed. Exceptionally papers can be written in French, with a 1200 word limit), and a final exam (35% of final grade, one hour, consisting of short open questions, during the final session). 5% of the final grade is class participation, especially during the class discussions.
List of lectures
Class 1. 5 Sep. 2025. Introduction. Economic inequalities: Normatives approaches, Empirical measures, and global development (Godechot)
Reading for discussion
Smith, Eric Alden, et al. 2010. “Wealth transmission and inequality among hunter-gatherers.” Current Anthropology 51(1): 19-34.
Background reading
Chancel, Lucas, Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman et al. 2021. Chapter 2 “Global inequality from 1820 to now: the persistence and mutation of extreme inequality”, in World Inequality Report 2022, p. 52-71.
Optional reading
Godechot, Olivier. 2017. “Inequality: A Piketty et al. Moment in the Social Sciences”, economic sociology_the european electronic newsletter, 19(1): 1-7
https://econsoc.mpifg.de/13366/econ_soc_19-1.pdf
Godechot, Olivier. 2019. “The Great Reaper: The Unique Equalizer? - Walter Scheidel, The Great Leveler. Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century (Princeton and Oxford, Princeton University Press, 2017)”, European Journal of Sociology, 60 (3): 510-516.
Class 2. 12 Sep. 2025. Wealth inequalities (Godechot)
Reading for discussion
Shiffer-Sebba, Doron. 2025. “Keeping the family fortune: how bureaucratic practices preserve elite multigenerational wealth.” American Sociological Review 90(2): 291-317.
Background reading
Pfeffer, Fabian T., and Nora Waitkus. 2021. “The wealth inequality of
nations.” American Sociological Review 86(4): 567-602.
Optional reading
Bessière, Céline. 2022. “Reversed accounting: Legal professionals, families and the gender wealth gap in France.” Socio-Economic Review 20(1): 233-256.
Class 3. 19 Sep. 2025. Wage inequalities (Godechot)
Reading for discussion
Wilmers, Nathan, Di Tong, and Victoria Y. Zhang. 2025. “Between-firm inequality and informal social relations.” American Journal of Sociology 130(5): 1217-1262.
Background reading
Avent-Holt, Dustin, and Donald Tomaskovic-Devey. 2014. “A relational theory of earnings inequality.” American Behavioral Scientist 58(3): 379-399.
Optional reading
Godechot, Olivier. 2008. “‘Hold-up’ in finance: The conditions of possibility for high bonuses in the financial industry.” Revue française de sociologie 49(5): 95-123.
Class 4. 26 Sep. 2025. Employment, labor market inequalities and social mobility (Godechot)
Reading for discussion
Rajkumar, Karthik, et al. 2022. “A causal test of the strength of weak ties.” Science 377(6612): 1304-1310.
Background reading
Barbieri, Paolo. 2009. “Flexible Employment and Inequality in Europe”, European Sociological Review, 25(6): 621-628.
Optional reading
Kim, Minjae, and Roberto M. Fernandez. 2023. “What makes weak ties strong?.” Annual Review of Sociology 49(1): 177-193.
Class 5. 3 Oct. 2025. Welfare Regimes, and Beyond (Panico)
Reading for discussion
Fasang, Anette Eva, Stefan Bastholm Andrade, Selçuk Bedük, Zafer Buyukkececi, and Aleksi Karhula (2024) Lives in welfare states: Life courses, earnings accumulation, and relative living standards in five European countries. American Journal of Sociology 130, no. 2: 384-438.
Background reading
Esping-Andersen, Gøsta. 2014. “Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism”, in Pierson C., Castle D. and Naumann F. (eds.), The Welfare State Reader, 3rd Edition, Cambridge: Polity Press, 136-150.
Optional reading
Ferragina, Emanuele, and Martin Seeleib-Kaiser. 2011. “Welfare Regime Debate: Past, Present, Futures?” Policy and Politics, 39(4): 583-611.
Class 6. 10 Oct. 2025. Social stratification (Panico)
Reading for discussion
Florian R. Hertel, Carlo Barone, Oscar Smallenbroek; The multiverse of social class: a large-scale assessment of macro-level, meso-level and micro-level approaches to class analysis. European Societies 2025
Background reading
Breen, Richard 2005, “Foundations of Neo-Weberian Class Analysis” in Erik O. Wright (ed.), Approaches to class analysis , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 31–50.
Optional reading
Savage, Mike, Fiona Devine, Niall Cunningham, Mark Taylor, Yaojun Li, Johs Hjellbrekke, Brigitte Le Roux, Sam Friedman, and Andrew Miles. 2013.“A New Model of Social Class? Findings from the BBC’s Great British Class Survey Experiment.”Sociology47(2):219–250.
Class 7. 17 Oct. 2025. Inequalities across the lifecourse (Panico)
Reading for discussion
Gruijters, Rob J., Zachary Van Winkle, and Anette E. Fasang. (2023) Life Course Trajectories and Wealth Accumulation in the United States: Comparing Late Baby Boomers and Early Millennials. American Journal of Sociology, 129(2): 530-569.
Background reading
Elder, Glen H., Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson, and Robert Crosnoe (2003) The Emergence and Development of Life Course Theory. In J. T. Mortimer & M. J. Shanahan (Eds.), Handbook of the Life Course (pp. 3–19). New York: Springer.
Optional reading
Elder, Glen H. 1999. “Beyond Children of the Great Depression.” In Elder, Glen H. Children Of The Great Depression: 25th Anniversary Edition (25th ed.). Routledge.
Note: for those of you interested in qualitative (lifecourse) research, the rest of this book is fascinating and available online through the Sciences Po library.
Please note that there is no class on 24th October
Class 8. 7 Nov. 2025. Inequalities in education (Panico)
Reading for discussion
Lareau, Annette. 2002.“Invisible Inequality: Social Class and Childrearing in Black Families and White Families.”American Sociological Review67(5): 747-776.
Background reading
Reardon, Sean F. 2011. “The Widening Academic Achievement Gap Between the Rich and the Poor: New Evidence and Possible Explanations.” In Murnane and Dundan (eds) Whither Opportunities? Rising Inequality and the Uncertain Life Chances of Low-Income Children. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 91-115.
Optional reading
Triventi, Moris. 2013.“Stratification in Higher Education and Its Relationship with Social Inequality: A Comparative Study of 11 European Countries.”European Sociological Review 29(3): 489–502
Class 9. 14 Nov. 2025. Inequalities in health and well-being (Panico)
Reading for discussion
Becares, Laia, Richard J. Shaw, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi, Patricia Irizar, Sarah Amele, Dharmi Kapadia, James Nazroo, and Harry Taylor. "Racism as the fundamental cause of ethnic inequities in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: A theoretical framework and empirical exploration using the UK Household Longitudinal Study." SSM-population Health 19 (2022): 101150.
Background reading
Bartley, Mel, and Michelle Kelly-Irving. 2024. “What is health inequalities?” In Health Inequality: An Introduction to Concepts, Theories and Methods, 3rd Edition. Polity.
Note: for those interested in health inequalities, many other chapters in this book can be helpful.
Optional reading
King, Lawrence, Gábor Scheiring, and Elias Nosrati. (2022) Deaths of despair in comparative perspective. Annual Review of Sociology 48.1 (2022): 299-317.
Class 10. 21 Nov. 2025. Gender inequality (Panico)
Reading for discussion
Pessin, Léa. (2024) Gender Equality for Whom? The Changing College Education Gradients of the Division of Paid Work and Housework Among US Couples, 1968–2019.” Social Forces 103(1): 129-152.
Background reading
Risman, B. J. (2018). Gender as a social structure. In Handbook of the Sociology of Gender (pp. 19-43). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Optional reading
Goldscheider, Frances, Eva Bernhardt, and Trude Lappegård. 2015. “The Gender Revolution: A Framework for Understanding Changing Family and Demographic Behavior.” Population and Development Review 41(2):207–39.
Class 11. 28 Nov. 2025. Inequalities due to ethno-racial and migratory origins. Intersectionality (Godechot)
Reading for discussion
Monk Jr, Ellis P., Michael H. Esposito, and Hedwig Lee. "Beholding inequality: Race, gender, and returns to physical attractiveness in the United States." American Journal of Sociology 127.1 (2021): 194-241.
Background reading
Quillian, Lincoln, et al. “Do some countries discriminate more than others? Evidence from 97 field experiments of racial discrimination in hiring.” Sociological Science 6 (2019): 467-496.
Optional reading
Roth, Wendy D. “The multiple dimensions of race.” 2016. Ethnic and Racial Studies 39 (8): 1310-1338.
Class 12. 5 Dec. 2025. Exam. Conclusion: managing inequality (Godechot)
Background reading
Schröder, Martin. 2018. “Income inequality and life satisfaction: Unrelated between countries, associated within countries over time.” Journal of Happiness Studies 19 (4): 1021-1043.
Optional reading
Carter, Prudence L., and Sean F. Reardon.2014. Inequality matters. New York, NY: William T. Grant Foundation.
OgO: plus ici|more here
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