Berkeley’s Sociology Department is known around the world for its excellence in research and teaching. Our faculty advance cutting edge research and teach in most sociological specialities. Our PhDs are leaders in universities and research centers across the US and in many other countries. And our BAs populate the ranks of innumerable professions, bringing with them the skills and special perspective of Berkeley sociology.
We are proud to make these contributions from the world’s leading public university. At Berkeley, we combine intellectual rigor with a commitment to public service through our research, teaching, and service on campus and beyond.
For the past six decades, Berkeley’s Sociology Department has consistently been ranked among the world’s top sociology departments. Our graduate program is ranked #1 in the latest U.S. News and World Report, and our undergrad degree is currently the best in the US according to College Factual and features on Grad Reports’ Best College List 2020.
Prof. Einstein served graduate students as a model of prudence in remaining unfashionably true to the grand…
Civic Hopes and Political Realities
For many Americans, participation in community organizations lays the groundwork for future political engagement. But how does this traditional model of civic life relate to the experiences of today’s immigrants? Do community organizations help immigrants gain political influence in their neighborhoods and cities? Civic Hopes and Political Realities shows that while immigrant organizations play an important role in the lives of members, their impact is often compromised by political marginalization and a severe lack of resources. The volume brings t...
Departmental Colloquium Series
James Chu, "Do College Rankings Encourage Socioeconomic Self-Sorting? "
Wednesday December 4th, 2024 at 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Blumer Room - 402 Social Sciences Building & Via Zoom
Abstract:
Public metrics like college rankings arise from algorithms that incorporate multiple inputs into single quantities, and a recurring criticism is that they impose excessive uniformity in evaluations. A less explored possibility is that single quantities encourage greater heterogeneity in the inferences that users draw. I investigate the inequality implications of this possibility in the context of educational rankings. In a conjoint experiment conducted among a diverse sample of U.S. adults (n=1,968), I show that college rankings are perceived as stronger signals of exclusivity, academic rigor, safety, and stress for those from higher socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds while serving as stronger signals of exclusion (i.e. unwelcoming) for those from lower SES backgrounds. In a second experiment among a diverse sample of U.S. adolescents (n=800), I find that first-generation students perceive rankings as a stronger signal for college cost than their more advantaged peers, with no corresponding change in perceived availability of financial aid. These perceived cost differences significantly explain why first-generation students prefer not to attend higher prestige colleges. This case illustrates how public metrics can be differentially reinterpreted along SES cleavages, likely contributing to self-sorting where lower SES students prefer colleges of lower prestige, and vice versa.