12.1 Social Class Flashcards
HIGH YIELD
Social class
defined as a category of ppl who share a similar socioeconomic position in society
socioeconomic status (SES)
depends on ascribed status and achieved status
leads to social stratification
Marxist theory
proposes that have nots (proleteriat) could overthrow the haves (bourgeoisie), as well as the entire capitalist economy by developing class consciousness
class consciousness
organization of the working class around shared goals and recognition of a need for collective political action
false consciousness
- misperception of ones actual position w/in society
- Barrier to class consciousness
Anomie
a state of normlessness
strain theory
Anomic conditions erode social solidarity by means of excessive individualism, social inequality, and isolation
Social capital
- the investment ppl make in their society in return for economic or collective rewards; the greater the investment, the higher the level of social integration and inclusion
- Social networks are one of the most powerful forms of social capital
Cultural capital
the benefits one receives from knowledge, abilities and skills
Socioeconomic TREND
Socioeconomic inequalities remain high in America due to intersectionality and oversimplification of racial categories or over reliance on the five ethnicities models used by the US Census Bureau and the NIH
Social mobility
allows one to acquire higher-level employment opportunities by achieving req credentials and experience
Intragenerational
changes in social status happen w/in a person’s lifetime
Intergenerational
changes are from parents to children
Meritocracy
- a society in which advancement up the social ladder is based on intellectual talent and achievement
- One of the largest factors driving American social mobility
plutocracy
- rule by the upper classes → although merit plays a roles in segments of society it doesn’t always guarantee pos social mobility
- There’s a fear that America’s meritocratic sys in quickly becoming this
Horizontal mobility
Change in occupation or lifestyle that remains w/in the same social classs
Social reproduction
the passing on of social inequality, especially poverty, from one generation to the next
Structural poverty
based in the concept of “holes” in the structure of society rather than poverty due to the actions of the individual
Absolute poverty
when ppl do not have enough resources to acquire basic life necessities, such as shelter, food, clothing, and water
Relative poverty
when one is poor in comparison to a larger population
Social exclusion
a sense of powerlessness when indiv feel alienated from society
Spatial inequality
a form of social stratification across territories and their pop, and can occur along residential, envir, and global lines
Urban areas trends
- have more diverse economic opportunities and more ability for social mobility than rural areas
- have more low-income racial and ethnic minority neighborhoods than rural areas
suburbanization
the migration pattern of the middle classes to suburban communities. can → urban decay
