Social stratification Flashcards
What is meant by social stratification ?
The way that socitey is structured in a hierarchy
What is social hierarchy ?
People at the top of the pyramid have more power/ respect then the people below them - it is a pyramid shape
What is social inequality ?
The unequal distribution of factors such as income, education and health across a population
What is an example of social stratification outside of Britan ?
India’s caste system. It divides Hindus into rigid hierarchial groups - teachers and priests at the top and cleaners at the bottom
What is achived status ?
Status that you have achived through hard work i.e. sports player
What is ascribed status ?
Status that you are born into i.e. royal family
What is equality ?
The fair treatment of all people in socitey
What is meant by life chances ?
Having positive or negative outcomes over their lifetime in relation to their health, education, employment and housing
What is inequality ?
The unequal distribution of valued goods and opportunities
What is the functionalist view of social strat ?
- They think that it is positive and performs a fuction
-People experiencing poverty motivates others to do well - Davis & Moore argue that social strat allows role allocation as people get jobs that match their ability
What are the criticisms of the functionalist view ?
They don’t consider that eqaul oppurtunties don’t exists for everyone
What is the feminist view of social strat ?
They argue that socitey is dominated by men (patriarchal)
- They argue that women are socially stratified and placed at the bottom of the ranking as men control it
What are the criticisms of the feminist view ?
Marxists would say that social class is the way of stratification - not gender
What is the marxist view of social strat ?
They belive that there are only 2 classes- Bourgeoise & Proletariat.
They argue that there has always been social inequality and socitey is unfair
There will always be conflict betwen the 2 groups
What are the criticisms of the marxist view ?
Feminists argue that marxists focus too much on capitalisim and fail to consider how gender creates a divide
What is social differentiation ?
Refers to the differences between social groups based on their appearance, gender wealth, lifestyle and culture.
What impact does age have ?
as there are difference norms expected from a teenager in comparison to an adult
What is social social differentiation ?
The differences between social groups based on their apperance, gender, wealth, lifestyle & culture
What is authority ?
Having power and dominance over a person or group
What is Webers theory of authority ?
Traditional authority - This is authority that has been passed down over generation
Charismatic authority- When someone gains high levels of support from the population
Rational-legal authority- When somone is chosen according to the system
What is the new right perspective on a classless socitey ?
They belive that socitey is classless
- The working class jobs are manual jobs
- New right belive that working class jobs have dissappeared so class does not exist
What is habitus ?
A set of assumptions about the kind of leisure activties different classes engage in. It is a cultural framework or set of norms and vaules
What are Bourdieus belifs /
- The upper class control education
- Upper class children fit in at school more easily and suceed because they have the same culture
- Middle class habitus places more vaule on activites so have greater cultural capital
What is the old boys’ club and priveladge ?
Marxists belive that there is an old boys network in the UK - there are connections that some families have to help them in work or buisness
- Members often went to private schools & oxbrige unis