1. Unit 7: Social Stratification

2. Social Stratification
Social Stratification: Division of society into categories, ranks, or classes based on certain characteristics
Levels and types of characteristics vary from society to society
Statuses (achieved and ascribed) determine position as well as other thinks like talent and effort
Social Inequality: Unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards

3. Think about this….
What criteria would you use to stratify a society if it were up to you to decide how best to distribute scarce resources and social rewards?

4. Types of Stratification Systems
Closed System: Movement between the strata (status levels) is impossible
Open System: Movement between strata is possible
Ease of movement between strata depends on openness in the system
There are 2 basic types of systems: Caste and Class

5. Caste System
Caste System: Scarce resources and social rewards are distributed on bases of ascribed statuses (assigned at birth) and lasts forever
Child’s status is determined by parent
People can move up within caste, but not to a different caste
Marriage
Forbid exogamy (marriage outside one’s own social category)
Allows endogamy (marriage within one’s own social category)
Common in South Asia
India is best example

6. India’s Caste System Caste Occupation Brahmans Priests, scholars
Kshatriyas
Rulers, nobles, soldiers
Vaisyas
Merchants, bankers, businesspeople
Sudras
Laborers, artisans (skilled craftsman)
Harijans or Dalits (Outcast)
Limited to the most undesirable tasks

7. Indian Caste System Segment
This segment is about the traditional caste system in India, which the reporter indicates is fading slowly. The caste system is an ancient form of social ranking into which people are born. The reporter explains that the lower castes were historically considered to be “untouchables” by the higher castes and had no way of changing their lot in life. Now, however, the lower castes are seeking reform. They want access to education and the ability to better themselves. India’s social structure is changing in an evolutionary way, with caste-based notions of people’s rights and social status giving way gradually to the democratic ideals of equal opportunity and the rights of individuals.

8. Indian Caste System Segment
While viewing take a mental note of the following things:
Describe the nature of India’s caste system
Explain why members of the lower castes are seeking reform
Name 3 or more of the demands put forth by lower caste reformers
Predict how India’s social structure is likely to change over the coming decades

9. Class System
Class System: Distribution of scarce resources and rewards is determined on the basis of achieved status (status that is attained)
People can easily move up or down
Marx defines social class in terms of who owns the means of production (materials and methods used to produce goods and services)
Society is divided into 2 groups:
Bourgeoisie: Those who own means of production in a capitalist society
Proletariat: Those who own only their labor and sell that labor in exchange for wages
Bourgeoisie profit while proletariat do all the work

10. Which system do you think is better?
Discussion
Now that you know the difference between caste system and class system:
Which system do you think is better?
What are the pros and cons of each system?

11. Dimensions of Social Stratification
Weber expanded on Marx’s ideas about the class systems and believed class consists of 3 major factors (prosperity, prestige, and power)
Social class: Grouping of people with a similar levels of wealth, power, and prestige

12. Social Class: Wealth
Wealth: Made up of a person’s assets (value of everything a person owns) and income ($ earned)

13. Social Class: Power
Power: Ability to control the behavior of others, with or without their consent
Can be based on force, possession of a special skill, or type of knowledge

14. Social Class: Prestige
Prestige: Respect, honor, recognition, or courtesy an individual receives from other members of society
Can be based on any characteristics a society or group considers important
Common factors that determine prestige: income, occupation, education, family background, area of residence, possessions, and club membership
Occupation is the most important
Socioeconomic Status (SES): Rating that combines social factors such as educational level, occupational prestige, and place of residence with the economic factor of income in order to determine an individual’s relative position in the stratification system

15. Which would you rather have:
Wealth
Power
Prestige

16. Explaining Stratification: Functionalist
View stratification as a necessary feature of the social structure
Assumes that certain roles inn society must be performed if the system is to be maintained
The more important the role and the more skill needed to perform the role, the higher the reward
Claim that without varying rewards, many jobs would not be filled and society could not function smoothly
Critiques
Fails to consider that not everyone in society has equal access to such resources as education and without this access people are unlikely to obtain high-status occupations
Ignores the likelihood that there may be many talented people in lower classes and because of stratification these people may be prevented from making a contribution to society
It cannot explain why rewards sometimes do not reflect the social value of the role (Why should movie stars command such high incomes?)

17. Explaining Stratification: Conflict
See competition over scarce resources as cause of social inequality
Base work on Marxist theory
Stratification comes from class exploitation (owners of means of production control working class in order to make a profit and keep power)
Many theorists take a broader view
Various groups within society compete with one another for scarce resources
When a group gains power, it is able to shape public policy and public opinion to its own advantage (maintains position of power)
Critiques:
Fails to recognize that unequal rewards are based, in part, on differences in talent, skill, and desire
Not everyone is suited for every position in the social structure

18. Explaining Stratification: Both
Some sociologists try to blend functionalist and conflict theory
Ralf Dahrendorf
Each approach may be used to explain specific aspects of stratification
Functionalist: Helps explain why people are willing to spend years training to become doctors and lawyers
Conflict: Helps explain why children of wealthy people tend to go to the best colleges
Gerhard Lenski
Asserts that usefulness of theory depends on the society under study
Functionalist: State that stratification system functions because members of society accept it (apply to simple societies where survival depends on cooperation)
Conflict: Ruling group emerges from struggle and social inequality develops as this groups takes steps to maintain its position (apply to more complex societies where people struggle to control wealth and power)

19. Explaining Stratification: Symbolic Interaction
Social inequality determines how people interact with each other
Higher status people tend to show off their power and show disrespect to the poor

20. Activity: Songs of Stratification
Consider the following concepts and issues that relate to social stratification in America: wealth, poverty, welfare, slums, mansions, the work ethic, the American dream
Many of these concepts may be found in your favorite songs
For the assignment:
Select a piece of music that expresses a concept of social stratification
You will need to write on a sheet of paper the following:
Name of Song
Artist/Group
Type of Music (Genre)
Social Stratification Concept(s) Presented in Lyrics
Analyze How the Lyrics Express This Concept
Quote a Lyric or Phrase From the Song That Best Represents The Social Stratification Concept of Your Song
We maylisten to some of the songs in class, so please pick appropriate music

21. Consider social stratification in the school.
Think about this…
Consider social stratification in the school.
What social classes are found in the school?
What are some of the characteristics used to distinguish those classes?

22. The American Class System

23. Determining Social Class
Sociologists on 3 basic techniques to rank individuals according to social class
Reputational Method: Individuals in community are asked to rank other community members based on what they know of their characters and lifestyles
Suitable only when studying small communities
Subjective Method: Individuals asked to determine their own social rank
Objective Method: Sociologists define social class by income, occupation, and education
Statistical bases of this method makes it the least biased
Problem involves the selection and measurement of social factors
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each method?

24. Social Classes in US: Upper Class
Makes up 1% of the population and controls most of the country’s wealth
Can be divided into 2 groups:
Old Money
Families whose bulk of wealth comes from inheritance and have been wealthy for generation (Rockefellers, Kennedys, etc)
Name, accomplishments, and fortune are important to social rank
New Money
Newly rich
Acquired wealth through their own efforts
Not as prestigious as old money because it is not backed by a long family heritage, but it does allow for most of the same privileges
Membership sometimes carries great power and influence

25. Social Class in the US: Upper Middle Class
Primarily high-income business people and professionals
Most have college education
Class membership generally based on income rather than assets
Many are career oriented
Politically and socially active
Power and influence are limited to the community level

26. Social Class in the US: Lower Middle Class
Hold white-collar jobs (work that doesn’t involve manual labor)
Jobs require less education and provide lower income than jobs of upper middle class
Include owners of small businesses, nurses, middle management, and sales professionals
Live comfortable life, but most work hard to keep what they have and many hold traditional values and are conservatives

27. Social Class in the US: Working Class
Many hold jobs that require manual labor
Factory workers, tradespeople, less skilled workers, some service workers (blue-collar jobs)
Jobs pay well, but do not hold much prestige
Others hold jobs that do not require manual labor
Clerical , lower-level sales, service jobs (pink-collar jobs – b/c traditionally held by women)
Many have few financial reserves and unexpected crises can push working-class individuals into lower class levels

28. Social Class in the US: Working Poor
Work at lowest-paying jobs
Often seasonal or temporary
Housecleaning, migrant farmwork, and day laboring
Work very hard, yet hardly make a living wage
Many depend on government support programs to make ends meet
Most are high school dropouts and future prospects are bleak
Most no politically involved because they believe situation will stay the same regardless of which party is in power

29. Social Class in the US: Underclass
Families that have experienced unemployment and poverty over several generations
Some do work, but usually only at undesirable, low-paying jobs
Chief source of income is often public assistance
Day-to-day struggle

30. American Class System Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table :
Be prepared to explain why you put those occupations in those categories
Each group will be assigned a class, and you will create a collage representing that social class
Class
Description
Occupations (2-3)
Upper Class
Upper Middle Class
Lower Middle Class
Working Class
Working Poor
Underclass

31. Social Mobility
Social Mobility: Movement between or within social classes or strata
Important feature of open class system
There are 3 types
Horizontal Mobility: Movement within a social class or stratum
Move does not involve major change to wealth, power, or prestige
Ex: Moves from 1 job to another
Vertical Mobility: Movement between social classes or strata
Either upward or downward
Ex: Monetary and social rewards of promotion from a secretarial to management position which moves person from working class to lower middle
Intergenerational Mobility: Status differences between generations of the same family
Special form of vertical mobility
Focus on differences between people’s class origin (parent’s social class) and their current social position
Ex: Son/daughter of a mechanic becomes a doctor or lawyer
Although most people achieve a higher occupational status than their parents, most remain within the same social class

32. Structural Causes of Upward Mobility
Structural factors that affect upward mobility include:
Advances in technology
When technologies change, jobs available to workers also change which can result in downward mobility for individuals caught in the shift, but means upward mobility for the next generation workers
Changes in merchandising patterns
Changes include:
explosion in credit industry
greater emphasis on insurance
rise in real-estate transactions
extraordinary growth in personal services
This created a larger white-collar workforce
Rise in population’s general level of education
Mobility increases with education

33. Structural Causes of Downward Mobility
Downward mobility can result from:
Personal factors:
Illness
Divorce
Widowhood
Retirement
Changes in economy (primary cause)
Ex: Technological advances have put many people out of work
Economic changes can affect intergenerational mobility
Ex: In hard economic times, even highly qualified recent college graduates have difficulty finding a job in their chosen jobs

34. Raleigh’s Invisible Homeless
The New Poor of Fresno
In New Orleans Blighted Houses

35. Journal Activity:
Analyze the patterns of stratification in your own family
Develop a chart that compares aspects of social stratification mobility between:
You grandparents
Your parents
Yourself today
Yourself in 2023
For each generation write down:
Education level
Economic level
Occupation
Life-style
Important ascribed statuses
Important achieved statuses
Amount of mobility taking place (for the year 2023 write down what you feel you will have at that time)

36. Journal Activity
Compare the patterns of stratification and mobility between generations and analyze why any changes between generations have occurred. See if levels of mobility, occupation, stratification, and education have changed
Analyze the reasons why changes have occurred.
What factors seem to promote or discourage mobility and the change in stratification patterns?
What theory of stratification seems best to explain these changes?

37. Poverty

38. What are some words that come to mind when you think of “poverty”?

39. Poverty
Poverty: Standard of living that is below the minimum level considered adequate by society
Changes from society to society

40. Defining Poverty in the US
US Bureau of the Census defines poverty in terms of the poverty line (minimum annual income needed by a family to survive)
Poverty level is determined by calculating cost of providing an adequate diet then multiplying by 3 because research says poor spend 1/3 of income on food
Poverty line changes from year to year

41. 2014 Poverty Guidelines for 48 Contiguous States and the D.C.
Family Size
Poverty Level ($)
1 person
11,670
2 persons
15,730
3 persons
19,790
4 persons
23,850
5 persons
27,910
6 persons
31,970
7 persons
36,030
8 persons
40,090
>8 persons
add 4,060 per person

42. American Poverty Characteristics that affect poverty Age Sex
Children have largest % of poverty
Sex
Women make up larger segments
Women head about ½ of all poor families
Race and Ethnicity
Blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to live in poverty

43. The Effects of Poverty
Life Chances = Likelihood that individuals have of sharing in opportunities and benefits of society
Include: health, length of life, housing, education
The lower the social class, the lower the life chances
Poor are at a disadvantage of health and length of life
Life Expectancy = Average number of years a person born in a particular year can expect to live
Differences in life expectancy are dramatic in the case of infants
Reasons for ill health and a shorter life expectancy among poor
Inadequate nutrition
Less access to medical care
Educational life chances are also limited

44. The Effects of Poverty Patterns of behavior
Certain factors vary depending on social class
Divorce rates are higher
More likely to be arrested, convicted, and sent to prison
Police pursue them more aggressively because they are more likely to commit crimes
More likely to be victims because crimes usually happen in those areas

45. Government Response to Poverty
In 1964, President LBJ declared a “war on poverty” to improve the lives of the poor, since then the government has taken an active role in attempting to decrease inequality
Poverty rate for 65 and older is lower due to an increase in Social Security and Medicare
Government attempts to decrease inequality through social welfare programs
Government programs use 2 approaches
Transfer payments = Redistribute $ among various segments of society
Involves taking % of $ collected through taxes and funneling it to groups that need public assistance
Subsidies = Transfer goods and services rather than $
Ex: Food Stamps, School lunch programs, Medicaid
From 1980s to now people have wanted reform to social welfare because critics argue that the system created a permanent “welfare class” who live off assistance rather than work

46. What is the relationship between class and language?
Discussion
What is the relationship between class and language?