Chapter 7 - Social Equality Flashcards
What does social inequality refer to?
Differences among individuals that have consequential effects for rights, opportunities, privileges, and rewards. This concept indicates how individuals experience unequal access to resources and opportunities.
* This creates differences in rights, opportunities that are created from broader social instituitions
What is social stratification?
An institutionalized system of inequality that allocates individuals and groups according to various hierarchies of differing status, power, or prestige. Allows us to understand how societies are organized and how power dynamics function.
What are the two types of systems of stratification?
- Open system: achieved status meaning it allows for social mobility based on achievements (more common system in society)
- Closed system: ascribed status meaning that restrict movement based on predetermined characteristics.
What does achieved status mean?
Opportunities for upward or downward mobility based on individual actions and achievements.
*inequalities conditions can be changed
*we are able to educate ourselves and chose our careers that we want part take in
What does ascribed status imply?
Little or no opportunities for mobility based on characteristics such as race, gender, or family background. A systemic inequality as it limits individuals’ ability to change their social standing. These are differences made by things that are unchangable about our character (background/ethnicity, disabilities, and gender related norms)
*this is the idea that we are born to furfill a certain role within society that makes us stuck
What are the dimensions that define inequality?
- Social class
- Status
- Power
These dimensions help to analyze the different ways individuals experience inequality in society.
How is social class defined?
One’s economic position, measured by occupation and education.
Social class can impact various life outcomes, including health, education, and access to resources.
List the categories of social class.
- Upper-class (elite class)
- Middle-class (majority class, this bracket includes most individuals who work office and professional jobs)
- Working class (this includes people in trades and servers)
- Underclass (this bracket is unemployment, seasonal, or part time employees)
These categories reflect differing levels of economic resources and social prestige.
What is the definition of status group?
Power derived from prestige or social honour.
* this tends to be from obtaining certain degree or winning a certain award
Status groups can influence social interactions and access to resources.
Define power in a sociological context.
The ability to get others to do what you want them to do.
*this focuses on how we can change society to represent our own personal beliefs
Power dynamics are central to understanding social relationships and structures.
What is status inconsistency?
A mismatch between one’s position in one hierarchy versus another.
*this form of work status is more common than status consistency due to the change in the economy and the more inclusive technology aspect in careers in present times
*when our skill set or education may be beyond what the job requires
*this can also be present when immigrants move here and their qualifications are not acknowledged
Status inconsistency can lead to social tensions and conflicts.
What does status consistency refer to?
The relationship between a person’s ranking and a set of social hierarchies.
*when a job reflects what we are trained and think we should be doing (our careers represent our abilities)
High status consistency means that an individual’s social positions align across various hierarchies.
What is a standard employment relationship (SER)?
A full-time, permanent job done on the employer’s premises, with workplace protections and worker benefits.
* this form of employment focuses on the relationship between employer and employees
* this form of employment was made as a job to support a family off of one wage
*these jobs have the structure of working your way up the chain and obtaining a single job for your life
SERs are increasingly rare in the face of changing labor market conditions.
What is workplace casualization?
A process of employing people on a temporary basis without issuing a permanent contract.
*these jobs include undefined tasks or specified jobs without permanent employment
* this is the move towards more precarious jobs in the labour market and away from the SER
This trend reflects broader changes in labor markets and employment practices.
Define precarity.
Workers whose jobs are temporary or casual.
* this form of work is becoming more popular even in higher skilled jobs that require higher education
Precarity highlights the instability faced by a growing segment of the workforce.
What characterizes precarious employment?
- Uncertain
- Low-paying
- Impermanent
- Limited entitlements and social benefits
Precarious employment can lead to long-term economic insecurity for workers.
How do women experience precarious employment compared to men?
Women are more likely to be in temporary, part-time, and minimum wage employment.
*woman are more likely to earn lower wages and lack of pension plans due to the presences in precarious work
Gender disparities in the labor market contribute to ongoing inequality.
What is the precarity penalty?
Accumulated setbacks from continued engagement in non-standardized work, reflected in lower income earnings (both individual and household level), frequent periods of unemployment and irregular work schedules
* this is the certain steps that need to be broken and makes it hard for us to get out of the loop of precarious work
The precarity penalty has significant implications for economic stability and social mobility.
What does income inequality measure?
The extent to which income is distributed unevenly in a country.
* this inequality has increased over time
* this is the amount of income/ money that we make per year based on revenue and investments
*focuses on the difference that people make in terms of income
Income inequality can affect social cohesion and economic growth.
What is the Gini coefficient?
A measure of income inequality, with 0 representing total equality and 1 representing total inequality.
The Gini coefficient is widely used in economic studies to assess inequality.
What does wealth inequality focus on?
The distribution of the value of assets, minus the debts of individuals and families.
* this focuses on everything that one owns in terms of items that behold value
*this is also passed on intergenerationally making this form of inequality more common and known
Wealth inequality often has more significant long-term impacts than income inequality.
What is the distribution of wealth in Canada among the top 10%?
The top 10% of Canadians have 47.9% of all wealth, while the bottom 30% have less than 1%.
This stark disparity highlights the growing issue of wealth concentration.
What is social differentiation
this is the way that we organize people based on differences (these can be any differences at all)
* this is not necessarily one group is higher than the other
who is likely to be seen to part take in precarious work
younger canadians (under age 25) and older individuals (age 65)
