Prof Sam Friedman

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Inequalities and Social Science. This course is not available as an outside option.

These seminars aim to help you to begin the process of writing your dissertation. At the end of AT we will have seminars that aim to get students thinking at a meta-level about research on inequalities and how to identify a good topic, including issues of theory, measurement and methods.  Please note that the MSc in Inequalities and Social Science takes a pluralist approach and does not seek to prescribe these or any other particular theories or methods. In WT we will hold dissertation workshop seminars that aim to give individually tailored guidance on proposed research questions in small groups with fellow students who are working on similar topics or using similar methods.

2 hours of seminars in the AT. 4 hours of seminars in the WT. 2 hours of seminars in the ST.

There will be two sessions during AT for ALL MSc students based in the Sociology department. These will be offered in conjunction with LSE Life and LSE Library and provide basic guidance about planning your dissertation, such as selecting a suitable topic, designing the research and reviewing the existing literature.

Reading Weeks: Students on this course will have a reading week in AT Week 6 and WT Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

A title, research proposal and annotated bibliography by the end of AT plus a presentation during the ST.

Anand , S. (Ed) (2010) Debates on the Measurement of Global Poverty, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Atkinson, A.(2015), Inequality: what can be done?, Harvard UP.

Back, Les and Solomos, John (2000), Theories of Race and Racism: A Reader, Routledge

Bourguignon, F. (2017) The Globalization of Inequality,  Second Edition Pincton: Princeton University Press

Butler, Judith. [1990]2006. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge.

Collins, Patricia Hill. 2000. Black Feminist Thought. 2nd Edition. Boston: Unwin Hyman

Grusky, David and Szelenyi S ed. 2011. The Inequality Reader: Contemporary and Foundational Readings in Race, Class, and Gender . Westview Press

McKenzie, L. (2015) Getting By , Bristol: Policy Press

Piketty, Thomas (2014), Capital in the 21st century, Harvard UP

Wright, Erik O. (2005) Approaches to Class Analysis, Cambridge UP

Dissertation (100%, 10000 words) in August.

An electronic copy of the dissertation, to be uploaded to Moodle, no later than 4.00pm on Thursday 14th of August 2025.

Dissertations may be up to and no more than 10,000 words, must be word-processed and be fully referenced using a recognised citation system.

Attendance at all classes and submission of all set coursework is required.