1. Social Inequality & Social Stratification
Week 5: Online

2. Social Inequality v. Stratification
Inequality = Unequal rewards
Stratification = Groups created by or groupings that create unequal rewards

3. Social Inequality
Unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards
How are rewards distributed?
Caste system: (closed system, movement impossible)
Scarce resources and social networks are distributed on the basis of ascribed statuses
Class system: (open system, movement possible?)
Rewards are determined on the basis of achieved statuses

4. Social Class
A social class is a group of people who share a similar economic position in society based on their wealth and income.
Therefore, social class is essentially an economic stratification system.

5. Social Class (Max Weber)
What determines social class?
Wealth: income, property, assets
Power: The ability of people or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition by others (Ex: political parties)
Prestige: The respect person or status position is shown by others (Ex: doctors)

6. Social Mobility
Social mobility refers to the movement within the social structure, from one social position to another (changing social statuses).
Types of mobility:
Horizontal
Vertical

7. Social Mobility
Horizontal mobility: A change in occupational position or role without a change of position in the social hierarchy
Vertical mobility:
Movement from one status to another
Movement within the social hierarchy
A change within the lifetime of an individual to a higher or lower status than the person had to begin with
Horizontal examples: When a rural laborer comes to the city and becomes an industrial worker or a manager takes a position in another company there are no significant changes in their position in the hierarchy. Those are the examples of horizontal mobility.
Vertical examples: But if an industrial worker becomes a businessman or lawyer he has radically changed his position in the stratification system.

8. Social Stratification
R. W. Murray defines social stratification as:
“… arrangement of any social group or society into hierarchy of positions that are unequal with regard to power, property, social evaluation, and psychic gratification.”
The division of society into classes, categories, or ranks.
Division in society, leads to social inequality.

9. Social Stratification
Groups created by or groupings that create unequal rewards.
Most common divisions:
Class
Race
Ethnicity
Gender
Sexuality
We will spend the next few weeks discussing these stratification systems

10. “Invisible Inequality: Social Class and Childrearing in Black Families and White Families.” (Lareau)
Ethnography of middle class and working class white and black families with 10-year-olds
Class differences in the home impacting children’s life chances (parenting styles and child’s future opportunity)
Class matters, in terms of social class
Middle class families:
Concerted cultivation
Working class families
Accomplishment of natural growth
Who receives more advantages in life?