Social Class 12.1 [HY] Flashcards
Social cohesion
the solidarity and sense of connectedness among different social groups and social classes in society
Social stratification
focuses on social inequalities and studies the basic question of who gets what and why
Ascribed status
derives from clearly identifiable characteristics, such as age, gender, and skin color
Achieved status
acquired via direct, individual efforts. In other words, ascribed status is involuntary, while achieved status is obtained through hard work or merit
Educational attainment
the highest degree obtained, or number of years of education completed
Socioeconomic gradient
proportional improvement in healthcare as one moves up in socioeconomic status
Power
ability to affect others’ behavior through real or perceived rewards and punishments, and is based on the unequal distribution of valued resources
Class consciousness
- refers to the organization of the working class around shared goals and recognition of a need for collective political action
- the proletariat could revolt and take control of the political and economic system, laying the groundwork for a socialist
state.
False consciousness
a misperception of one’s actual position within society
Anomie
- further accelerates social inequality
- refers to a lack of widely
accepted social norms and the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and society
Strain theory
- focuses on how anomic conditions can lead to deviance
- erode social solidarity
Social Solidarity
the sense of community and social cohesion
How does social trust form?
- from two primary sources: social norms of reciprocity and social networks
Social capital
- the investment people make in their society in return for economic or collective rewards
- Higher lvl means higher social integration
- the benefits one receives from group association
Social integration
the movement of new or underrepresented populations into a larger culture while maintaining their ethnic identities
Inequality created by social networks
- situational (socioeconomic advantage) and positional (based on how
connected one is within a network and one’s centrality within that network) - Inequality in networks creates and reinforces privilege
Cultural capital
- the benefits one receives from knowledge, abilities,
and skills.
Strong Ties
peer group and kinship contacts, which are quantitatively small but qualitatively powerful
Weak ties
social connections that are personally superficial, such as associates, but that are large in number and provide connections to a wide range of other individuals
Intersectionality
the compounding of disadvantage seen in individuals who belong to more than one underserved group
Social mobility (structural
mobility)
typically the result of an economic and occupational structure that allows one to acquire higher-level employment opportunities given proper credentials and experience requirements
Intragenerational mobility
changes in social status that happen within a person’s lifetime
Intergenerational mobility
changes in social status from parents to children
Meritocracy
a social structure in which intellectual talent and achievement are means for a person to advance up the social ladder
Plutocracy
a rule by the upper classes
Vertical mobility
Upward and downward mobility
Horizontal mobility
change in occupation or lifestyle by an individual that keeps that individual within the same social class
Social reproduction
- Ex. Social inequality, especially poverty (but also inherited wealth), can be reproduced or passed on from one generation to the next
Structural poverty
“holes” in the structure of society being more responsible for poverty than the actions of any individual.
Social exclusion
can arise from a sense of powerlessness when individuals who are poor or otherwise disadvantaged feel segregated and isolated from
society
Spatial inequality
- focuses on social stratification across territories and their populations
- Space can be used to reinforce existing inequalities and can even amplify their effects, particularly poverty,
Urban renewal
- City land is reclaimed and renovated for public or private use
- often fueled by gentrification
“Doughnut” of Socioeconomic Status
Urban centers tend to contain lower- SES communities, surrounded by a ring of middle- to upper-SES suburbs. Further out are lower-SES exurbs and
rural areas.
World system theory
categorizes countries and emphasizes the inequalities of the division of labor at the global level
Core nations
focus on higher skills and higher paying productions
Peripheral nations
- Have lower-skilled productions
Semi-peripheral nations
midway between the two—these nations work toward becoming core nations, while having many characteristics of peripheral nations.
