Inequality in the 21st Century

Why should I take this Trinity Elective?

This module is about inequality, one of the most urgent problems of our time. Inequality can lead to social problems such as poor health, political polarisation, and less cooperation between people. The module will discuss both economic and social inequality. Economic inequality concerns the distribution of money in society, while social class will be used to talk about social inequality. The module will also address inequality from an intersectional perspective, highlighting how different characteristics such as gender, race, income, and social class can confer advantages and disadvantages.

What will I learn?

The module is organized around 10 topics:

Why are we concerned with inequality?
How unequal are societies today?
What drives economic inequality?
What is the difference between economic inequality and poverty?
How does social class matter to inequality?
How is inequality related to social mobility?
How does gender matter for inequality?
How do different inequalities intersect?
Is everyone equally ready for the transition to net zero carbon economy?
How to reduce inequality?

What will I do?

Every week students will take part in a synchronous online lecture (which will also be recorded and posted on Blackboard) and attend one face-to-face seminar.

How will this be delivered?

10 online lectures, 10 face-to-face seminars, and one pre-recorded data analysis demonstration. Lectures will present the key theories and evidence in a variety of formats, while seminars will be the main venue for discussion, peer learning and presentation of draft posters for informal feedback. Lectures will include short anonymous quizzes and an opportunity to ask questions either live or using the chat function. However, in case there is no time to address all the questions during the lecture, there will also be a discussion forum on Blackboard where students can post their questions for the lecturer, teaching assistants or other students to respond to.