Social Stratification

Social Stratification Structured social inequality or, more specifically, systematic inequalities between groups of people that arise as intended or unintended consequences of social processes and relationships. (Conley)

Social Mobility Downward Mobility Upward Mobility

Why is Stratification Universal? The Functionalist View: Society’s positions must be filled. Some positions are more important than others. The more important positions are filled by qualified people. Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon

Why is Stratification Universal? The Conflict View: No society can exist unless it is organized. Leadership means inequalities of power. Human nature is self-centered.

How Do Elites Maintain Stratification? The keys lie in controlling ideas and information. The divine right of kings Social networks Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon

Forms of Stratification

Slavery Occurs in every continent in the world except Antarctica. ALBANIA: Teenage girls are tricked into sex slavery and trafficked by organized crime rings BRAZIL: Lured into the rainforest, families burn trees into charcoal at gunpoint BURMA: The ruling military junta enslaves its own people to build infrastructure projects, some benefiting US corporations. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Haitians are rounded up at random, taken across the border, and forced to cut cane in sugar plantations GHANA: Families repent for sins by giving daughters as slaves to fetish priests INDIA: Children trapped in debt bondage roll beedi cigarettes 14 hours a day IVORY COAST: Child slaves forced to work on cocoa plantations MAURITANIA: Arab-Berbers buy and sell black Africans as inheritable property PAKISTAN: Children with nimble fingers are forced to weave carpets in looms SUDAN: Arab militias from the North take Southern Sudanese women and children in slave raids. THAILAND: Women and children become sex slaves for tourists UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Bangladeshi boys are transported and exploited as jockeys for camel racing UNITED STATES: The CIA estimates that 50,000 people are trafficked as sex slaves, domestics, garment, and agricultural slaves http://www.iabolish.com/today/factsheet.htm

Caste System Brahmins--priests Kshatryas--warriors Vaishyas--traders Shudras--laborers The Untouchables

Religion: Hindu. Gender: Man Age: 23 Years Currently lives in: Madhya Pradesh, India Age range of desired match: Between 18 and 23 Years. Currently has children: No Height:5ft 8in - 172cm Caste: Kayastha Ethnicity: Indian Body type: Average (weight & height proportional) General cultural values: Eastern Family origin: India Immigration Status:Citizen Living Status: Live with friends Astrological sign:Capricorn Marital history:Never Married Spiritual Values are: Highly important to me How religious are you?Very religious . Drinks alcohol?No Smokes? No Diet: I eat meat occasionally Educational Background: On the job learning Educational Degrees: Masters Occupation: Unspecified

Class System Economically based system of stratification … Conley

Consequences of Social Class Divorce Education Religion Politics Physical health Mental health Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon

Socioeconomic status (SES) An individual’s position in a stratified social order. Occupation Income Wealth i.e.net worth Education

Components of Social Class The top 20% of the population receives almost half of all income in the United States. The bottom 20% receives only 4.2% of the nation’s income. Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon

Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon Copyright © 2004 by Allyn and Bacon

What are your life chances? The “good things” in life

Rags to Riches? Carnegie study found that a child's future to be largely determined by social status, not brains. 1979 http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/strat.html

Consider Bobby and Jimmy Second-graders Both pay attention in the classroom, do well, and have nearly identical I.Q.s. Bobby is the son of a successful lawyer Jimmy's father works infrequently as custodial assistant. Despite their similarities, the difference in the circumstances to which they were born makes it 27 times more likely that Bobby will get a job (in his 40s) that pays him an income in the top tenth of all incomes in this country. Jimmy had about one chance in eight of earning even a median income. http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/strat.html

http://www.hyperjump.net/hiltonlounge/

Relative Poverty

Absolute Poverty 2009: 1 person under 65, $11,161 2009: 2 adults & 2 children, $21,765 http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/threshld/thresh09.html

Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon Who Are the Poor? There is a clustering of poverty in the South. Race and ethnicity. Only 11% of whites are poor, but 26% of African Americans and Latinos are poor. Education 1 out of 4 or 5 people who drop out of high school are poor. Children are most likely to be poor. Copyright (c) 2004 by Allyn & Bacon

The Feminization of Poverty Women are more apt to be poor than men

Why are People Poor?

Institutionalized Inequality Features of society deny some people access to education or job skill training. Socially-defined categories of persons are unevenly rewarded for their social contributions. Social worthiness of individuals are judged and discriminations made, such as the classifications of Gender Ethnicity Race Age Generation. http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/strat.html

Culture of poverty Poor people adopt certain practices which differ from those of middle-class. Characteristics of individuals such as dropping out or early child rearing contribute to poverty