Articles List
Week 1
Oct 2 * Charles (2006) “Inequality” : This article is about inequality probably one of the most important. 2 peaks in income inequality, before WWI and before the great depression(1930) stock market crash (1929). During the 1940s and 2 decades after that income distribution between the rich and the poor became much smaller because of New Deal and also WWII also helped by supplying jobs. Inequality started to rise again in the 1970s. Explanation for growing wage polarization and inequality can be associated with Demographic Shifts (influx of women and immigrants in the labor market) and Changes in the socioeconomic and ideological contexts of employment (declining unionization, dramatic growth in executive compensation, if the minimum wage stays the same over time it will have negative effects and contract work). Reasons for gender wage gap( Lower wages associated with female-typed work -> women concentrate in occupational ghettos, Women work more part-time, Women have more often interrupted working careers, and Discrimination). * Draut (2005) “The Growing College Gap : This article is about the high enrollment rates in community colleges yet not a lot of people finish. People still feel the need to invest in higher education because it will help them land a better occupation than the ones who don’t have a degree although having a degree does not automatically mean you’ll get a job. The life styles and wages college haves earn are different from the college have not and also the BA is equivalent to the high diploma, the MA is the new BA, and the ph.D. can also been seen as the new MA for some occupations. * Hungerford (2011) “Changes in the Distribution of Income Among Tax Files” : Looking at a period between 1996 and 2006 tax filers have found that income inequality has rose. Changes in capital gains and dividends were the largest contributors to the increase and also the Bush Tax cuts increased income inequality because it benefitted the already wealthy and rich in that the tax cuts caused a decrease in average tax rates for the wealthy.
Oct 4 * Rippeyoung & Noonan (2012) “Is Breastfeeding Truly Cost Free?” : This article is about how breastfeeding affects income, which human lactation has kept women out of the loop of power because they were busy breastfeeding their babies rather than fulfilling important roles in the community. Mothers who decide to breastfeed will have lower earnings depending on how long they choose to breastfeed. There is an argument that says breastfeeding is good for the bond between the mother and the baby but mothers can be on medication making her milk not as healthy, also breastfeeding is “cheaper” is another argument but it is not because the money you save from not buying formulas is the money you lose through penalty. Poor mothers are likely to not breastfeed because they need to work while mothers who have the option are likely to breastfeed; of course women who stay out of the labor market are likely to have a harder time gaining back employment and miss out on promotions and building up their skills for the labor market. * Sered & Fernandopulle (2005) “Sick Out of Luck: The Uninsured in America” : This article is about the US healthcare system and how it is for profit and is privatized while in other European countries everyone is covered whether you work full or part time. Poorest can’t afford health care so they have shorter life plans and may lose work because they can’t recover to go back to work. Also it is seen as brought upon yourself if you get sick as seen by employers even though healthy food is expensive and so is the coverage for a gym.
Week 2
Oct 9 * Sinclair (2003) “The Jungle” : This article is about how it was working in the meet slaughter house for immigrants in New York where this Polish family faced harsh conditions and had little money while working there. * Schlosser (2006) “Fast Food Nation: The Most