SSDAN Exercise Module

Course Title: Sociology 100

Module Description: In this module, we begin by focusing on education. Our interest lies primarily in how aspects of education have changed over time, from 1950 to 1990. We will examine the numbers of high school and college graduates, both black and nonblack, male and female, and analyze any trends that emerge over the decades. We will also take a look at occupations and, more specifically, the effect a college education has on one's chances of obtaining a top white-collar job in 1990 as compared to previous years.

Our attention will then turn to cohorts and population structure. We will explore birth trends from 1950 to 1990, namely the Baby Boom, and discuss possible causes. We will also concern ourselves with the effects such trends have had on schools, the labor and housing market, and social security benefits. Changes over time in the sex ratio, especially among the elderly, and the race/ethnicity distribution will also be examined.

Next, our focus shifts to gender. To begin, we will look at labor force participation rates and how they have changed from 1950 to 1990. We will also examine the gender gap in earnings and how it has changed over the years. In an investigation of this gap, education and occupation will be considered as possible contributing factors.

Living arrangements are the next area of interest. Again we will look at the years between 1950 and 1990, this time noticing any changes in marital status, poverty in relation to household type, and cohabitation. Age and education will be considered in terms of the effect they have on choosing a spouse. The change in rates of inter-racial marriages through the decades will also be examined.

Finally, this module is concluded with a look into the politics of immigration. We will satisfy our inquiry by examining many aspects of the immigrant experience. Such factors as the educational attainment, poverty status, standard of living, and occupation of immigrants will be considered and compared to those of native-born Americans. Based on what we learn of the present situation, we will attempt to look ahead and forecast the future political climate of immigration policies and procedures.

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Course Syllabus

Education in America

Cohorts and Population Structure

Gender in America

American Living Arrangements

The Politics of Immigration

FREYCEN datasets used: EDUC5090, EDUCIMM9, EMP5090, DOCTORS9, LAWYERS9, EMPLOY9, EMPED925, WORK9-45, MARR5090, HHOLDS9, MARED9, ENGASN9, ENGLAT9, IMMUSA9, OCIM9-35, POPLA9, POPPROJ9