NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ890368
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jan
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0092-055X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Illustrating the Nature of Social Inequality with the Simulation "Star Power"
Dundes, Lauren; Harlow, Roxanna
Teaching Sociology, v33 n1 p32-43 Jan 2005
A simulation called "Star Power" provides an invaluable means to help students understand structural social inequality. This paper explains how Star Power achieves this goal and provides suggestions on how to inculcate the following points that are both central to sociology and difficult to adequately convey to students: 1) Students see how those in power maintain their position by structuring the system to their advantage; 2) they learn how the structure of this system makes advancement for others difficult; 3) privileged students begin to recognize the impact of their "own" family's social position that they tend to overlook in favor of their personal effort and merit. By becoming more aware of structural inequalities, students realize that for the lower classes to join the most powerful in society, they must triumph over a system in which those in power make rules that protect their own interests, usually at someone else's expense.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A