Date post: | 16-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | ava-malsbury |
View: | 239 times |
Download: | 4 times |
Chapter 9
Social Class and Social Stratification
Chapter Outline
Social Differentiation and Social Stratification
Why Is There Inequality? The Class Structure of the United States Diverse Sources of Stratification Social Mobility Poverty
Social Differentiation The process by which different statuses
develop in any group, organization, or society. In a sports organization, players,
owners, managers, fans, cheerleaders, and sponsors all have a different status within the organization.
Social Stratification A relatively fixed, hierarchical arrangement in
society by which groups have different access to resources, power, and perceived social worth.
In a sports organization: Owners control the resources of the teams. Players earn high salaries, yet do not control
the team resources. Sponsors provide the resources. Fans provide revenue.
Inequality in the United States Nearly 1 in 6 children in the U.S.
live poverty: 30% of African American children 29% of Hispanic children 12% of Asian American children 9.4% of White non-Hispanic children
Inequality in the United States
15% of the U.S. population has no health insurance.
The average cost of a day’s stay in the hospital is $1, 217—two weeks’ pay for the average worker
Inequality in the United States 1% of the U.S. population controls 38% of the
total wealth in the nation. The bottom 20% owe more than they own. CEOs of major companies earn an average of
$13.1 million dollars per year. Workers earning the minimum wage make
$10,712 per year, if they work 40 hours a week for 52 weeks per year and hold only one job.
Types of Stratification Systems
Estate - Elite owns property and has control over resources.
Caste - rigid hierarchy of classes. Class - status is partially achieved, there
is some potential for movement between classes.
Marx: Class and Capitalism Defined classes in terms of their
relationship to the means of production. Capitalist class owns the means of
production. Working class sells their labor for wages.
Weber: Three Dimensions to Stratification
Class - economic dimension Status - social dimension Party - political dimension
Functional and Conflict Theories of Stratification
Inequality
FunctionalismMotivates people to fill
positions that are needed for the survival of the whole.
Conflict TheoryResults when those with the
most resources exploit others.
Functional and Conflict Theories of Stratification
Class Structure
FunctionalismDifferentiation is essential
for a cohesive society.
Conflict Theory
Different groups struggle over resources and compete for social
advantage.
Functional and Conflict Theories of Stratification
Life chances
FunctionalismThose who work hardest
and succeed have greater life chances.
Conflict TheoryThe most vital jobs in
society are usually the least rewarded.
Social Class in the U.S. Upper class Upper-middle class Middle class Lower-middle class Lower class
Polling Question If you were asked to use one of the
following four names for your parents' social class, which would you say they belong in?A.) Upper classB.) Middle classC.) Working classD.) Lower class
The Laddered Model of Stratification
Median Income by Race and Household Status
Polling Question People who are rich don't care about
those who are less rich.
A.) Strongly agree
B.) Agree somewhat
C.) Unsure
D.) Disagree somewhat
E.) Strongly disagree
The Double Diamond Model of Stratification
Income Growth by Income Group: Whites
Income Growth by Income Group: Blacks
Income Growth by Income Group: Hispanics
Wealth and Income Wealth is the monetary value of
everything one owns, minus debt. It is calculated by adding all financial
assets and subtracting all debts. Income is the amount of money brought
into a household from various sources during a given period.
Distribution of Wealth and Income The wealthiest 1% own 38% of all net
worth; the bottom 80% control only 17%. The top 1% also owns almost half of all
stock; the bottom 80% own only 4% of total stock holdings.
Who’s Got a Piece of the Pie?
The Tax Burden: For Whom?
Diverse Sources of Stratification Race, class, and gender are overlapping
systems of stratification. Class position is manifested differently,
depending on race and gender. Example: A Black middle-class man who is
stopped by police when driving through a White middle-class neighborhood may feel his racial status is his most outstanding characteristic, but his race, class, and gender always influence his life chances.
Poverty Among the Old and Young
Class Consciousness The perception that a class structure
exists, along with the feeling of shared identification with others in one’s class.
There are two dimensions to the definition of class consciousness: the idea that a class structure exists one’s class identification
Defining Social Mobility Social mobility is a person’s movement over
time from one class to another. Social mobility can be up or down, although the
American dream emphasizes upward movement.
Mobility can also be either intergenerational, occurring between generations; or intragenerational, occurring within a generation.
Social Mobility Mobility is a collective effort that involves kin
and sometimes community. Upward Mobility
People who are upwardly mobile are often expected to distance themselves from their origins.
Downward Mobility As income distribution is becoming more
skewed toward the top, many in the middle class are experiencing mobility downward.
Poverty in the U.S.
Who are the Poor? In 2002, there were 34.6 million poor
people in the U.S. The poor:
31% of Native Americans 24% of African Americans 22% of Hispanics 10% of Asians and Pacific Islanders 10% of Whites
Who are the Homeless? Battered women Elderly Disabled Mentally Ill (20-25%) Veterans AIDS victims
Who are the Homeless? A 2001 survey of 27 cities found that the
homeless population is: 50% African American 35% White 12% Hispanic 2% Native American 1% Asian
Reasons for Homelessness
Unemployment and/or eviction Reductions in federal support for
affordable housing Eroding work opportunities Inadequate housing for low-income
people
Reasons for Homelessness Reductions in public assistance Inadequate health care Domestic violence Addiction
Poverty Status by Family Type and Race
Explanations of Poverty Culture of poverty - poverty is a way of
life that is transferred from generation to generation.
Structural causes of poverty - poverty is caused by economic and social transformations taking place in the U.S.
Arguments Against “The Culture of Poverty” Fewer than 5% of the poor are chronically
poor. 41% of the able-bodied poor work. The pattern of “welfare cycling” is
promoted by wages too low to support a family.
Quick Quiz
1. Karl Marx defined classes in terms of their relationship to:
a. capitalism
b. life chances
c. the infrastructure of society
d. the means of production
Answer: d Karl Marx defined classes in terms of their
relationship to the means of production.
2. The monetary value of everything one actually owns is defined as one's:
a. income
b. cumulative income
c. wealth
d. net worth
Answer: c The monetary value of everything one
actually owns is defined as one's wealth.
3. Which of the following statements is false regarding social class?
a. Class is a structural phenomenon.
b. Class can be directly observed.
c. Class influences access to societal resources.
d. Class influences how one is served by social institutions.
Answer: b The statement, class can be directly
observed, is false regarding social class.
4. According to the functionalist perspective, differentiation is essential for a cohesive society.
a. True
b. False
Answer: True According to the functionalist perspective,
differentiation is essential for a cohesive society.