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CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Second Semester

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

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SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

Refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals into divisions of power and wealth within a society.

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STRATIFICATION

“the society is divided into numbers of strata or layers”• In complex societies, inequality is

viewed in terms of the distribution of scarce goods.

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STRATIFICATION

– is the structured ranking of entire groups of people that perpetuates unequal economic rewards and power in a society.

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SOCIAL STRATIFICATION• Ascribed Status – a social position that is

assigned to a person by society without regard for the person’s unique talents or characteristics.

• Achieved Status – is a social position attained by a person largely through his or her own efforts.

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SOCIOLOGIST’S VIEW ON STRATIFICATION

• Social inequality - refers to a situation in which individuals in a society do not have equal social status.

• Point to differences in advantages based on sex, age, or ability.

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ANTHROPOLOGIST’S VIEW ON STRATIFICATION

• what is universal is human inequality but not social stratification

• all social groups in a particular age-sex level in the society have equal access to economic resources and equal opportunities to obtain prestige.

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STRATIFICATIONIn stratification, People are ranked according to:

• Wealth – how much of the resources of society are owned by certain individuals.

- includes income and properties

- it is an element of social stratification

• 6.Prestige – degree of honor one’s position evokes.

- is an element of status

• Power – the degree to which one directs, manages, or dominates others

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VIEWS ON SOCIAL STRATIFICATION• Conservative View:

** it maintains the position that inequality is deeply rooted in the law of nature. By nature, human beings are perceived to be selfish and greedy.

• Liberal View:

** society is to blame for the selfishness and greediness of people because it allowed them to struggle and compete with others for scarce resources.

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ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

•Class•Status•Power

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ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION• CLASS – division of people in society by their

relationship to the means of production. (Carl Marx)

- class referred to a group of people exhibiting the same lifestyles because of similar economic positions in society, i.e., by the goods they possess and the chances available to them to improve their income.

(Max Weber)

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CLASS• social class refers to a group of people

who are similarly situated in terms of property owned, occupation held, income acquired, educational degrees attained, and lifestyles exhibited, and are therefore differentiated from others.

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ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

• 9.Status - refers to the social position that an individual occupies in society.

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ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION• Power - refers to the ability of an individual to get other

people to do "what he wants them to do with or without their consent“.

• Weber divided power into personal and social.

Personal power - refers to the individual's freedom to direct his own life as he chooses.

Social power - is the ability of an individual to make decisions that can affect the entire community.

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KINDS OF STRATIFICATION SYSTEM• Closed Society – individual is born

into a specific stratum and therefore one's occupation is determined by the family affiliation. An individual has no opportunity therefore for socio-economic mobility.

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CLOSED SOCIETY

• Castes - a hereditary rank, usually religiously dictated, that tends to be fixed and immovable. • E.g. Dons – the one working in

cremating bodies.

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KINDS OF STRATIFICATION SYSTEM• Estate System – members are allowed to

certain degree of mobility.

- social positions are ranked according to their functions.

* Nobility

* Clergy (millitary)

* Peasants

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KINDS OF STRATIFICATION SYSTEM• Open Society

Characteristics:

* Though classes exist, they are not institutionalized, as in the case of the caste and estate systems.

* Though class boundaries are unclear and people do not show excessive class consciousness, inequality due class divisions is apparent.

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OPEN SOCIETY

* Though status is usually achieved, their evidence, however, that status tends to be ascribed to the lowest and highest social classes.

* Social mobility if possible and frequently occurs.

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APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

• Lifestyle Approach – the focus of the study is to determine the lifestyle of various classes and therefore addresses the following points:

* recreational activities

* material possessions

* organizational affiliations

* schools attended

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APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

• Reputational Approach – this addresses the following points:

* people they know in the community

* residence type of the respondents

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APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

• Subjective Approach - it is basically concerned with ranking oneself. It is possible that respondent do not have any idea of social stratification.

• Objective Approach - The interviewer provides categories, like income, occupation, and educational attainment of the respondents.

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APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

• Occupation Prestige Approach - The focus is on occupation that brings prestige and honor to a person.

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Prepare for a quiz next meeting…

THANK YOU…