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Social Stratification. Discussion Outline. Patterns of Social Stratification American Class Inequality Social Mobility and Life Chances. ????. What is meritocracy? What is the American Dream?. What is Social Stratification?.
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Discussion Outline • Patterns of Social Stratification • American Class Inequality • Social Mobility and Life Chances
???? • What is meritocracy? • What is the American Dream?
What is Social Stratification? • Why are Sociologists interested in studying social strata and social class?
Systems of Stratification • Stratification-A structured ranking of entire groups of people. • perpetuates unequal economic rewards and power in society-Some suffer while others benefit • Social Inequality- members of society have differing amounts of wealth, prestige, and power
Systems of Stratification • Review: • Ascribed status vs. Achieved status • General Systems: Any stratification system may include elements of more than one type • (1) Slavery (2) castes (3) social classes • Open vs. Closed systems
Dimensions of Stratification • Wealth- money and other economic assets that a person or family owns, including property and income • Income? • Wealth is passed on to the next generation and produces income
Dimensions of Stratification • Prestige • How do individuals and groups alert others of their level of prestige? • Power • What does it mean that an individual or group is powerful in society?
The American Class System • The gap between the rich and the poor in U.S. is larger than any other wealthy/industrialized nation • Growing inequality since 1960’s and accelerated in 1980’s under president ______ and economic principle of “trickle down economics”. What is it? • The US economy expanded greatly in the 1990’s, however, most of the profits and benefits went to those in the upper class • Inequality continues to grow- Income and wealth gaps
Economic Inequality (Income) • A growing gap between rich and poor • 90’s profits reaped by upper class • Stagnant wages for 8/10 Americans • CEO Compensation • Trickle down-economics Did it work?
Economic Inequality (Wealth) • Importance of wealth? • Greater than income inequality and expanding • In 2007, the wealthiest 1% of household owned more than the bottom 90% of households combined • Corporate Wealth
Poverty • The wealthiest country in the world also has the highest rates of poverty. What country? • Absolute poverty—not having enough money to afford the most basic necessities • Relative poverty—not having enough money to maintain an average standard of living • Why is poverty such a problem in the richest nation in the world? • 1990’s: U.S. vs. other industrialized nations-Absolute poverty • What is the poverty line at for a family of 4?
Poverty Line • Poverty line—the minimal level of income that the federal government considers necessary for basic subsistence • Used to determine eligibility for government assistance • In 2010, the poverty line was _______for a family of four.
Who are the Poor? Children (35% of the poor) Women (57% of the poor) African Americans, American Indians, and Latinos (Poverty rates are much higher than for whites.) The “new poor” How is poverty Explained?
Are high unemployment rates beneficial to employers/corporations? • How does the U.S. compare to other countries in terms of giving welfare to the poor? • Does everyone willing to work have a job? Benefits? How does this illustrate the sociological imagination?