Structured Status Inequality SOCIETY CULTURE Social relations are to culture what institutional structure is to society Civilization == 10,000 years old Mostly in the Nile Region Succession of Dominant and Subdominant Societies {Cultural Change Theory == Discovery, Invention, Diffusion} Kushites (HOE) We are mix of English and American US Military Might VS Historical and Cultural Progress INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE SOCIAL INTERACTION

THE SOCIAL SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIETY AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY SOCIETY IS A “HIERARCHY” OF GROUPS. INDIVIDUALS ARE POSITIONED AT VARIOUS LEVELS IN THE HIERARCHY – THAT IS, “SOCIALLY STRATIFIED” – DEPENDING ON THERE MEMBERSIP IN GROUPS. BECAUSE SOCIETY IS HIERARCHICAL IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY DIFFERENTIAL POWER AND STATUS. BECAUSE GROUPS HAVE DIFFERENTIAL POWER AND STATUS THEY ARE SOCIALLY UNEQUAL (THAT IS, THEY STAND IN INEQUITABLE RELATIONS TO SOCIETY’S RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES). BECAUSE SOCIETAL GROUP RELATIONS ARE UNEQUAL – THAT IS, CHARACTERIZED BY “STRUCTURED SOCIAL INEQUALITY” – SOCIAL SCIENCE EXAMINES SOCIETY AS A STUDY IN DOMINANT AND SUBDOMINANT INTERACTION. SOCIAL SCIENTISTS ARE DIVIDED IN REGARD TO SEEING SOCIETY’S HIERARCY AS CONSTITUTIVE OF “OPEN COMPETITION” OR “VESTED INTERESTS”