This article examines the presentation of caste systems of stratification in U.S. introductory sociology textbooks. First, the “caste versus class” debate from the 1930s and 1940s is summarized and its competing perspectives are evaluated. Second, after an in-depth analysis of introductory sociology textbooks presenting material on the subject, evidence is presented that (1) the majority of texts present a discussion on social stratification in the United States that is often misleading and inaccurate and (2) none of the textbooks go as far as to present the current system of stratification in U.S. society as caste. In fact, evidence suggests a kind of systematic reluctance exists among the authors to associate caste with U.S. society. The benefits of changing the way we as sociologists think about and teach social stratification, as well as the consequences for continuing the status quo, are addressed.

中文翻译：

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埋头苦干：社会学入门教科书中分层系统覆盖的系统性不情愿

本文考察了美国社会学导论教科书中对种姓制度的介绍。首先，总结了 1930 年代和 1940 年代的“种姓与阶级”辩论，并评估了其相互竞争的观点。其次，在对介绍该主题的社会学入门教科书进行深入分析后，有证据表明：（1）大多数文本对美国社会分层的讨论往往具有误导性和不准确性；（2）没有教科书甚至将当前美国社会的分层制度描述为种姓。事实上，有证据表明作者之间存在一种系统性不愿将种姓与美国社会联系起来。改变我们作为社会学家思考和教授社会分层的方式的好处，