Social Stratification

1. Social Stratification Chapter 8

2. Types of Stratification Systems • Caste Systems • Scarce resources & social rewards are distributed based on the basis of ascribed statuses. • Class Systems • Distribution of scarce resources & social rewards is determined on the basis of achieved statuses

3. Caste Systems • Ascribed & lifelong • Achieving a higher status is impossible… one can only improve their status “within” their caste. • Elaborate rules & norms govern the system • Exogamy is forbidden (marriage outside one’s social category) endogamy encouraged.

4. Social Class (Class Systems) • A grouping of people with similar levels of wealth, power & prestige. • Wealth- • Value of everything the person owns (assets and income) • Power- • the ability to control the behavior of others with or without their consent. • Prestige- • the respect, honor, recognition or courtesy an individual receives from other members of society.

5. Explaining Stratification • Functionalist Theory • Assumes certain roles must be performed in society & as such there are higher rewards ensuring their fulfillment. • The more important the role, the more skill needed to perform the role, the higher the reward. • Fails to consider equal access to things like education

6. Explaining Stratification • Conflict Theory • See competition over scarce resources as the cause of social inequality. • Stratification comes from class exploitation • Once power is gained, policy & opinion can be shaped to give/maintain advantage for the dominant group. • Fails to consider talent and skill

7. Determining Social Class • Reputational Method- • Asking a neighbor/friend to rank someone’s social class • Subjective Method- • Asking individuals what social class they think they are • Objective method- • Social class objectively determined by occupation, income, & education

8. Social Classes in the U.S. • Upper Class • Upper Middle Class • Lower Middle Class • Working Class • Working Poor • The Underclass

9. Social Mobility • Movement between or within social classes. • Horizontal Mobility- • movement within social class. • Vertical Mobility- • movement between social classes either upward or downward

10. Poverty • A standard of living that is below the minimum level considered adequateby society. • Poverty line is a relative measure (Poor in one society may not be the same in the other) • What do you think the poverty linewas for a family of four in the U.S. in 2017? • $25,100 (https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines)

11. Defining Poverty • The U.S. Census Bureau defines poverty in terms of the minimum annual income needed by a family to survive (family of 4 in 2009 = $22,050) People who fall below this level are considered poor by our government • Poverty researchers question the usefulness of these numbers as the calculations were developed in the 1960s and do not consider changes since then to eating and spending habits

12. Defining Poverty • Another definition would base the poverty level on averagespendingfor: • Food • Clothes • Housing • And some personal expenses • This would raise the poverty level by a few thousand dollars (why is this critical?) • several more million Americans would be classified as poor

13. American PovertyWho is most likely to be poor in America? Why? • Children (37% of the poor are under age 18) • Women (account for 57% of the poor) • African Americans and Hispanics are more likely than whites to live in poverty

14. Effects of Poverty • The lower the social class, the less life chances (likelihood that you have of sharing in the opportunities and benefits of society) • The Most important life chances are: • Health • Length of Life (Life Expectancy)

15. Visualizing the effects of Poverty& Income Inequality • Miniature Earth • http://www.miniature-earth.com • Extreme Poverty • Millennium Development Goals • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3p2VLTowAA • www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vddX4n30sXY • Action Against Hunger • www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFTspq_nzG4 • www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-E3iPJZ6_g • www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi38ZtG4NhM www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/mediaroom/multimedia/video/ • Clean Water • www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnlrE4iMBU • www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdwinEmUqF0 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3p2VLTowAA

16. Effects of Poverty • Poor children are 60% more likely to die in the first year of life than those not born into poverty • Patterns of behavior are different in the poor • Higher divorce rate • Higher incidence of arrest & imprisonment • Poor are more often crime victims • Why? • Poor/inadequate nutrition • Less access to medical care/often uninsured • More dangerous jobs/living conditions & communities

17. Rural Poverty • How are the characteristics of rural poverty similar to and different from poverty characteristics nationwide or in the city? • The “invisibility” of rural poverty intensifies the problem. What steps would you take to bring the issue to the public’s attention?

18. Government Responses to Poverty • Since 1964 “War on Poverty” • Lower poverty among the elderly because of social security & Medicare • Social welfare programs meant to reduceinequality • Transfer payments (money aid)TANF, AFDC • Subsidies (goods as aid) WIC, Food Stamps

19. Welfare Reform • Began in the 1980’s to stop those “living off of the government” • Limited time for payments • Welfare to work • Unclear results as many continue to live in poverty and return to assistance or live without basic necessities like food as a consequence of restrictions