Race and Ethnic Group Stratification: Beyond “We” and “They” Soc 100Dr. Santos.
Social Stratification: Dimensions and Impact Yesenia King Soc. 001.
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Transcript of Social Stratification: Dimensions and Impact Yesenia King Soc. 001.
Lecture Outline• Social Stratification• Dimensions of Stratification• Explanations of Stratification• Stratification in American Society• Consequences of Stratification• Social Mobility
Social Stratification• System in which large groups of people are
divided into layers according to their relative power, property, and prestige
• Exists within society• Affects our life chances and orientations to
life based on our class• Unequal and relatively permanent
• Class: based primarily on the possession of money and material goods
Questions for Today1. What are the major social classes in the U.S.?
2. For which class is inherited wealth most important?
3. How are one’s education and occupation related to one’s social class?
Dimensions of Stratification
The Economic Dimension• Marx viewed economics as the foundation of social
classes.• Social class is determined by one’s relationship to the
means of production.– Bourgeoisie – the rulers; exploit– Proletariat – those who are ruled; revolt
• Classless society
• Believed that all other social institutionswere based on the economic structure
Dimensions of StratificationThe Economic Dimension• Weber identified several different social classes
based on the consequences of their relationship to the economic institution.
• Wealth that consists of property (what we own) and income (money we receive).
• Likelihood of achieving education,housing, health, food, etc., based on access to economic resources.
Economic Inequality in America
• “CEO Pay Jumped 11%” by Joann Lublin (WSJ)• For the past 30 years income inequality has been
increasing.• The U.S. is now the most economically unequal of
all major Western countries.• In 2009, 43.6 million people were living in poverty
yet there were only 7 million millionaires and 800 billionaires.
• Between 1990 and 2005 CEO income increased about 300% while workers income increased just 4.3%
Dimensions of StratificationThe Power Dimension• Power is the ability to control others, even over
their objections.• Expert knowledge, special skills, fame, and social
position• Mills – “Power Elite”
– Big decision makersin U.S. society
Dimensions of StratificationThe Prestige Dimension• Prestige is the respect or regard people give to
various occupations and accomplishments.• In US occupations are the primary source of prestige.• Occupations with highest prestige:
– Pay more– Require more education– Entail more abstract thought– Offer greater autonomy
• Valuable = people must acknowledge it.
Explanations of StratificationFunctionalist Theory• Stratification is inevitable
– Positions have to be filled and some positions are more important than others
– More important positions need to be filled by more qualified people = greater rewards
• Critical Thinking – Where does Functionalist theory fall short?– Are some positions really more important?
• Example: Entertainer vs. President; Electrician vs. Professor
– Barriers to fair competition due to lack of access.• Example: Racial/Ethnic groups, women, the disabled etc.
– Meritocracy?• Example: Best predictor of College entrance is family income not ability
– Stratification is dysfunctional, thus not functional.
Explanations of StratificationConflict Theory• Stress that conflict, not function, is the basis of
social stratification• Stratification exists because those with more power
and wealth are willing to exploit others with less.
• Critical Thinking – Where does conflict theory fall short?– Conflict theory is based on the class conflict described by
Marx– Marx’s work not consistent with American system
Symbolic Interactionism and Stratification
• Social stratification persists only as long as its legitimacy is accepted.
• Symbols explain the existence of stratification to the young and the reasons for people being located in particular strata.
• Views of legitimacy are incorporated into an individual’s self-concept as well.
U.S. Class Structure
-Gilbert and Kahl – Updated Weber’s Model
– Capitalist Class – The Upper Middle Class– The Lower Middle Class– The Working Class– The Working Poor– The Underclass The Homeless
Stratification in American Society
Consequences of StratificationLife Chances –probability of achieving the positive things in life.
–Life Expectancy–Health/Mental health; medical care
Life Style –Family Life
–Divorce–Child Rearing
–Politics–Education–Criminal Justice System
Social Mobility• Movement up or down the social class ladder• Difficult to do.
– Minorities have been denied the opportunity for advancement
• Significantly impacted by intergenerational assistance.– Upper class children = assistance from parents;
less likely to move down– Lower class children = less likely to move up
Social Mobility
• Social mobility – the movement of individuals or groups within a stratification structure.
– Intragenerational mobility – social class movement within the career of an individual.
– Intergenerational mobility – social class movement from one generation to the next.
– Horizontal mobility – change from one occupation to another at same status.
– Vertical mobility – occupational or social class moves upward or downward.
• Causes• Conditions
– Temporary– Not Necessarily Inheritable– Not Necessarily Powerless and Poor
• Slavery in the New World• Slavery Today
Systems of Social Stratification - SlaverySystems of Social Stratification - Slavery
Caste Stratification System• In a caste system
– there is no social mobility– social status is inherited– statuses are ascribed or assigned at birth.
• Example – India’s Religious Caste
• Example – South Africa – Apartheid• Example – US – Jim Crow Laws
Global Inequality• The United States has greater income
inequality than most developed countries.
• The gross domestic product (GDP) is a good indicator of classifying a nation’s economic category (high, upper-middle, lower-middle, low).
Soft Control vs. Force
• Controlling People’s Ideas
• Controlling Information
• Controlling Technology
How Do Elites Maintain Stratification?How Do Elites Maintain Stratification?
• Social Stratification in Great Britain
• Social Stratification in Former Soviet
Union
Comparative Social StratificationComparative Social Stratification
• First World - Industrialized Capitalist
Nations
• Second World - Communist Nations
• Third World - Nations that Don’t Fit in
First Two
Global Stratification: Three Worlds (Old Model)
• Most Industrialized Nations
• Industrializing Nations
• Least Industrialized Nations
Global Stratification: Three WorldsGlobal Stratification: Three Worlds
• Colonialism
• World System Theory
• Culture of Poverty
• Evaluating the Theories
How Did World’s Nations Become Stratified?How Did World’s Nations Become Stratified?
• Neocolonialism
• Multinational Corporations
• Technology and Global Domination– Race Outcome Predetermined
– Unintended Public Relations
Maintaining Global StratificationMaintaining Global Stratification