Social Inequality and Social Mobility

David D. McFarland

One of my major substantive interests is the field that deals with social inequality and social mobility, or as it is often labeled by sociologists, "social stratification".

I am particularly interested in opportunities for upward mobility by individuals born into disadvantaged circumstances, including immigrant families and the rural poor; and mobility both into and out of extreme wealth; as well as education, jobs, and careers of individuals more generally.

In addition to studying stratification per se, I tend to look at stratification aspects of whatever I study. Take another of my interests, "computers", for example. Sure, computers are both (a) electronic devices and (b) tools for statistical calculations. But I also see them as forming (c) a new industry that has been making some people wealthy while automating others out of their means of livelihood.

Courses:

Soc. 4. Jobs and Careers.
Soc. 157. Social Stratification (undergraduate).
Soc. 239ab. Social Stratification and Mobility (graduate; team-taught with Donald J. Treiman).
Soc. 263/Soc. 197j. Social Stratification Seminar. (Winter 1997 topic: Bell Curve Research Redone.)

To be added:
(Meanwhile, contact me for further information.)

my stratification-related publications
list of UCLA colleagues in the stratification field
information about the stratification field examination in the UCLA Sociology PhD program
link to the Research Committee on Social Stratification (RC28) of the International Sociological Association.

Home page of Professor David D. McFarland