This seminar will address the relationship between social class and gender-based forms of stratification in modern societies and in historical perspective. Overall, the question of interest is why the inequalities at the intersection of class and gender in paid and unpaid work persist across industrialized societies despite some impressive policy achievements over the past half century. The primary literature source will be the book “Gender-Class Equality in Political Economies”. In this book, Lynn Prince Cooke places gender inequality in a context that is historically shaped by the intersections of multiple inequalities and the particularities of six countries: Germany (East and West), Spain, Australia, the UK and the US. Gender-class inequalities persist in paid work hours, wages, and the division of housework. The study shows how values, choices, and behaviors of individual men and women in various national contexts are enabled and constrained by state policies that effectively structure relative group advantage and disadvantage from birth through old age.

This course offers an introduction to the concept of moral economy, exploring the relation between economic frameworks and norms, structures of feelings, and cultural perceptions. It first reviews foundational texts from political philosophy and social theory, tracing the moral economy in relation to legitimacy and the political economy, and exploring the tension between redistribution and recognition. Second, it considers contemporary applications, including moral economy and the welfare state, social boundaries and class, the sociology of valuation, relational inequality, and the study of racism. The course maps out ways of thinking about the problem of how, in our contemporary world, economic processes are perceived and evaluated. It has a global scope, featuring examples from the US, Europe, and beyond.

The key competency gained in this course is to connect theoretical concepts and empirical applications. Students can use these tools in a variety of ways, such as analyzing media debates, or studying social problems in work environments. The course covers novel practical applications that can be applied in a range of areas (such as relational methods in economic sociology) and that can also be used to set up a research or media project in this field.

Obligatory requirements: course readings, participating in discussions on the digital course platform (discussion prompts for each session will be provided)

3CP: Input presentation (oral presentation, 10 minutes) and theses paper (2-3 pages) or protocol of the session (2-3 pages)
6CP: Input presentation (oral presentation, 10 minutes), term paper 8 pages.
The course language is English; final projects may be written up in German.

This seminar will address the relationship between social class and gender-based forms of stratification in modern societies and in historical perspective. Overall, the question of interest is why the inequalities at the intersection of class and gender in paid and unpaid work persist across industrialized societies despite some impressive policy achievements over the past half century. The primary literature source will be the book “Gender-Class Equality in Political Economies”. In this book, Lynn Prince Cooke places gender inequality in a context that is historically shaped by the intersections of multiple inequalities and the particularities of six countries: Germany (East and West), Spain, Australia, the UK and the US. Gender-class inequalities persist in paid work hours, wages, and the division of housework. The study shows how values, choices, and behaviors of individual men and women in various national contexts are enabled and constrained by state policies that effectively structure relative group advantage and disadvantage from birth through old age.

Increasing life-expectancies and decreasing fertility rates are resulting in the demographic ageing and a growing number of older people in relative and absolute numbers. This demographic shift is affecting various societal spheres including the labor market. Older workers’ employment rates are increasing rapidly and ageing workforces increasingly become of interested for politicians, trade-unions, employers, human-resource managers and social policy makers alike.
In this seminar different perspectives in regard to these developments are discussed: amongst others trends of older workers’ employment rates, old-age discrimination in the labor market, age(ing)-friendly human resource measures, age appropriate work environments as well as pension and labor market policies aimed at older workers. This will be done in a European perspective with a focus on Germany and outlooks to Asia and North America.
Participants should be generally interested in the sociology of ageing and labor market and the topic of demographic ageing. The aim of the seminar is that participants understand the drivers and determinants behind the trend of increasing older workers’ employment rates and how this affects the institutional and workplace level. The seminar is relevant on the one hand for participants who aim to work in social policy politics and research as well for participants who plan to work in companies and organization with an increasing older and, hence diverse workforce. The seminar will be taught in English, however assignments (Prüfungsleistungen), can be also acquitted in German

Literature for Preparation:
Ebbinghaus, B., & Hofäcker, D. (2013). Reversing early retirement in advanced welfare economies a paradigm shift to overcome push and pull factors. Comparative Population Studies, 38(4).

Increasing life-expectancies and decreasing fertility rates are resulting in the demographic ageing and a growing number of older people in relative and absolute numbers. This demographic shift is affecting various societal spheres including the labor market. Older workers’ employment rates are increasing rapidly and ageing workforces increasingly become of interested for politicians, trade-unions, employers, human-resource managers and social policy makers alike.
In this seminar different perspectives in regard to these developments are discussed: amongst others trends of older workers’ employment rates, old-age discrimination in the labor market, age(ing)-friendly human resource measures, age appropriate work environments as well as pension and labor market policies aimed at older workers. This will be done in a European perspective with a focus on Germany and outlooks to Asia and North America.
Participants should be generally interested in the sociology of ageing and labor market and the topic of demographic ageing. The aim of the seminar is that participants understand the drivers and determinants behind the trend of increasing older workers’ employment rates and how this affects the institutional and workplace level. The seminar is relevant on the one hand for participants who aim to work in social policy politics and research as well for participants who plan to work in companies and organization with an increasing older and, hence diverse workforce. The seminar will be taught in English, however assignments (Prüfungsleistungen), can be also acquitted in German

Literature for Preparation:
Ebbinghaus, B., & Hofäcker, D. (2013). Reversing early retirement in advanced welfare economies a paradigm shift to overcome push and pull factors. Comparative Population Studies, 38(4).