Social Inequality Key Words Flashcards
Social stratification
When society is split into groups The groups with most status,power and wealth go to the top Social class is a type of stratification
Social inequalities
Different groups within society have different life chances
Social class
A group of people sharing a similar economic position in terms of occupation status and wealth
In Britain it is stratified like this
Life chances
Opportunities and experiences people have
People in different classes have different life chances
E.g. Richer people have a higher life expectancy
Social mobility
The movement of people from one social class to another You can move up or down It happens in an open socially mobile society
Caste system
Social stratification that existed in India in which people could not move out of the position they were born into
This is a closed society where ascribed status is more important than achieved status
Upper class
Top of class system Consists of lords and ladies , entrepreneurs and well paid celebrities
Middle class
Group of people who may own or be managers of a business
People who have a job which you’re needed ti go to university to get the job e.g. Teachers,solicitors
Working class
The group within society who tend to have manual/physical jobs e.g. Builder
Or routine jobs e.g. Supermarket worker
Under class
People at the very bottom of the social class system Might be there due to lack of opportunities (structural explanation) Or their own attitude e.g. Immediate gratification (cultural explanation of poverty)
Sexism
Discrimination based on gender
Racism
Discrimination based on ethnicity
Ageism
Discrimination based on age
Glass ceiling
The informal barrier that makes it difficult for women to get the top jobs in work
This might exist because of women’s choices or discrimination
Institutional racism
Where the police allow racism within their organisation
This may be one reason why there are more ethnic minority groups in prison than white people
Wealth
The assets owned by a person e.g. House car savings etc
Income
The amount of money a person receives regularly
Absolute poverty
Lacking the bare necessities to survive e.g. Food water etc
Relative poverty
When someone does not have what most people have in society eg phone computer car etc
Subjective poverty
When a person feels like they are modding out on things such as status power etc
The elderly may experience this as they feel like a burden
Environmental poverty
When someone lives in an area that is ugly dirty unsafe and lacks amenities that can make life easier e.g. Doctor supermarket etc
Social exclusion
When people are unable or feel unable to participate in society
This may be influenced by debt neighbourhood etc
Like subjective poverty
Poverty trap
When people can’t make the most of chances to save money
E.g. Can’t afford to but in bulk so have to buy the expensive option
Or living in an area in which it’s more expensive to insure a car than s rich person living in a nicer area
Scrounger
Someone who is willing to take benefits from society or even make the most of it without doing anything for it e.g. Work
Welfare dependency
Someone who relies on benefits from the government as their only type of income
Cycle of deprivation
A person born into poverty is most likely to stay in poverty for the rest of their life
Life cycle of poverty
The belief that people aren’t in poverty all their life but end up in poverty at different times of their life e.g. A pensioner
Language deprivation
When a person doesn’t speak English as their first language or uses a lot of slang
Equality act 2010
A law introduced to give all social groups protection against discrimination
Cultural explanation of poverty
The new right explanation which suggests the poor are poor because they don’t try hard enough so it’s their fault e.g. Scroungers
Structural explanation of poverty
Marxist belief that the poor are poor because they don’t get equal life opportunities as others
Achieved status
A persons position in society based on how hard they worked to get there
Ascribed Status
A persons position beyond their control
Not earned rather something they were born with e.g. Sex ethnicity religion
