Social Stratification

Chapter 9th
Clarence C. Schrag and Lundberg
The division of the population into 2 or more
layers,
each of which is relatively homogenous,
and between which there are differences in
privileges, restriction, reward and obligations.
The more favored group or strata are placed at
the top of the hierarchy and the less privileged
are placed at the bottom.
Those at the top, for instance those in the top
social class, are usually able to have large,
comfortable homes, a lot of material
possessions, luxury holidays, lots of savings,
access to very good education, and they also
tend to experience better health and live longer
than those in lower social classes.
This contrasts with those in the lower social
classes.
For example, those in the lower social classes
tend to live in housing that is rented and often
overcrowded, their children tend to achieve
less at school and they often experience poor
health.
 Dimensions of
Stratification
For Marx, social stratification consists
of a single dimension.
The key to social stratification in
capitalists societies is the division
between those who own and control
the crucial means of production,
Bourgeoisie, and those who have
only their labor to sell, Proletariat.
Max Weber contended that other
dimensions exist within society that
are at times independent of the class
or economic aspect.
Weber took a multidimensional view
of stratification and identified 3
components of stratification,
1.Class (Economic Standing)
2.Status (Prestige)
3.Party (Power)
1.Class (Economic Standing)
It depends on amount of wealth and income.
Wealth
Can be inherited or won
Land
Property
Jewellery.
Income
Money earned
Wages
Salary
Benefits
Profits from shares, bank accounts,
etc.
2.Status (Prestige)
It involves social respect and
recognition
 associated with a particular social
status.
3.Party (Power)
It is ability of a person or group to
control and guide the behavior of
other persons and groups.
Power determines that which
individuals and groups will be able to

Categories of Stratification

Social Class
Caste
Gender
Race and Ethnicity
Social Class:
A social class is made up of people of similar
social status who regard one another as social
equals.
Class depends largely on economic differences
between groups – differences in income and
wealth, possession of material goods and life
 chances.
Formal Indicators of Class
Occupation
Status
Income
Informal Indicators of Class
Education – the type of school.
Shopping – where people shop, goods they buy,
etc.
Entertainment – what people do for fun?
Holidays – where people go on holiday, length
of holiday, etc.
District/Area people live in.
Type of house – bought or rented.
Caste
A caste is a social category whose members are
assigned a permanent status within a given social
hierarchy and whose contacts with other
categories are restricted.
1.
Gender
Gender and Sex are not the same thing.
Sex is our physical features and is
 biologically determined .
Gender differences are not biological but social.
Gender is what is considered to be feminine
 or masculine.
Boys and girls are brought up differently from the
moment they are born.
Gender-roles are the specific ways that men and
women are expected to behave. Gender-roles
affect the way we speak and dress, the work
we are expected to do in and outside the home.
Many feminists see society as being patriarchal,
that is, dominated by men.
Many feminists argue that men have the most
power in families and tend to have better jobs
in terms of pay and status.
Race and Ethnicity
Race is based on biological, physical or
genetic features
Ethnicity is social and describes the
cultural features of different groups.
R a ce , E th n icity a n d S tra tifica tio n
Prejudice
To pre-judge people before knowing the
facts.
Prejudice refers to opinions and attitudes
held by members of one group towards
another.
Discrimination
To treat people differently, usually badly,
because they are different in some way
– for example a different skin color or
Discrimination often leads to people
from minority groups experiencing poor
life chances.
This often means they experience
inequality in housing, income,
employment, education and health.