Economic analysis of social structure

• Essay Rubric o A clear thesis statement at the beginning followed by a consistent focus sustained throughout the essay – each paragraph should support your central claim o A direct response to the question(s) being asked. (If, in the course of writing, you find yourself seduced by a different question that I didn’t ask and you want to pursue it, negotiate with me about any adjustment you want to make to the assignment early in the writing process.) o The accuracy with which you represent the views of the authors you cite. o The strength of the connections you make between the various sources cited – you should go beyond simply saying what person A thought about issue X and what person B thought about issue X. What do A and B agree on? How do they disagree? What does person A’s argument show us about the gaps in person B’s argument and vice versa? Essay prompt: Society is composed of individuals. These individuals occupy different positions within the society, and different positions are associated with different contributions to economic production and different economic rewards. Choose a selection of the thinkers we have read and compare their analyses of social structure. What groups (gender, class, etc.) do they see as important structural divisions in society? How is membership in each of these groups determined and how does each group relate to the others? How does group membership matter to an individual? How does the division of society into groups organize the larger society?