Discussion Questions

  1. Does (or did) your family expect you to marry someone of a particular (a) race or ethnicity, (b) social class, (c) educational background, or (d) religion? Why or why not? How do you think endogamous norms impact (a) individual marriages and (b) society?
  2. What are arguments for and against monogamy versus polygamy as a form of marriage? Which might be more stable and why?
  3. A majority of Americans and a strong majority of young Americans (those below 30) now support same-sex marriage. What are some cultural and structural changes that have led to this increase in support for marriage equality over the past decade?
  4. What are examples of the “hidden curriculum” in schools? Describe your own school experience with the formal and informal systems.
  5. Do you think there should be tracking in schools? Why or why not? How has tracking (or an absence of tracking) in your schools impacted your education and sense of yourself as a student? How does tracking in schools impact society?
  6. How do schools produce and reproduce inequality? If you had the power and desire to use the school system to reduce inequality, what policies would you imple­ment? What do you think the chances are of your poli­cies actually being put into place? Why?