Global Citizens Project AssignmentYou will complete a four to five page writing assignment that addresses the USF Global Citizens
Project requirement for this course.
This assignment is designed to help students become familiar with aspects of socioeconomic
inequality and the role social institutions and social structures play in perpetuating these
inequalities on both a local and global level.
Information on how to structure your paper is provided at the bottom of this document.
Resources
Think critically about the readings, videos, and class discussions about stratification and
structures of inequality. Especially relevant will be chapter seven of our textbook, our Week
Eight video and discussion on the video, “America’s Forgotten Working Class”, our Week Nine
video and discussion on the video, “White Doll, Black Doll”, and our Week Twelve video and
discussion on the video, “The Minimum Wage Debate”. You will also be directed to several
websites and sources provided within this assignment. You are encouraged to search for and
include other articles and resources you find to be relevant in your discussion.
Be sure to cite the resources you use throughout your paper!
1. Interactive Experience
Go to the website www.playspent.org (Links to an external site.) The goal is to have the
practical and emotional experience of one who is living “on the edge” financially, though
working full-time. This group of people are referred to as the “working poor”.
(a) Once there, here is what you need to do:
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On the initial page, click “Continue to Spent”.
Click “Accept the Challenge”.
Find a job. Choose one the three available jobs.
Proceed through the days with your $1,000 balance making your decisions as
asked. You will see each day noted on the left side of the screen.
Share the decisions that you make and how you feel as you navigate through the
simulation.
Continue until you reach the “Ran Out of Money” screen. Note what day it was when
you ran out of money.
You do not need to donate or share your experience on social media!
(b) The political and economic social institutions in some nations provide programs and
assistance not available in countries such as the United States. One such nation is
Sweden. Reflect on how your experience in playing out these scenarios may have been
different had you been living as a resident of Sweden. Be specific in terms of which
scenarios would be relevant. (For information on benefits in Sweden, do an internet
search for: What benefits do Swedish citizens receive?)
2. Social Stratification within and between Nations
(a) What is meant by “social stratification” (chapter seven of our textbook is an excellent
reference here)?
Local Stratification: Within a Nation
(b) In the United States, stratification is often conceptualized in terms of various social
classes. What are the social classes in the United States as commonly identified by
sociologists?
(c) Within what social class would you place your family and why?
(d) Sociologist have found that, although we do not live in a caste system and we do have
the opportunity for social mobility (moving into a social class beyond that into which we
were born), most people do end up in the same social class as that of their parents. Why
is the case?
Global Stratification: Between Nations
(e) From a global perspective, stratification may be based on elements beyond social class
and income. Briefly explain the important elements of stratification in two nations other
than the United States (pages 178 – 179 of our textbook, “Global Perspective: Systems of
Stratification around the World”, will be helpful here).
(f) What is meant by “relative poverty” and “absolute poverty”? Identify nations that
illustrate each. This website will be helpful here:
Relative versus Absolute Poverty
(g) There are significant differences between nations in standard of living and in the reality
of absolute poverty. Provide examples of high, middle and low income nations. What
advantages accrue to those born in high income nations (this may apply to you!)? This
website may be helpful here:
The World by Income and Region
3. Conclusion
Here you will discuss the learnings and insights you gained as the result of completing this
assignment.
Your paper should be organized as follows:
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Title Page (your name, the course and the assignment – Global Citizens Project.
Content: One section for each of the three questions. Be sure to use and cite
references to support your points.
Reference Page: Lists and identifies the references you used in your paper.
Information on citing references is available from the USF library:
https://guides.lib.usf.edu/citingsources/