Stratification

What Is Stratification?

Stratification refers to systematic inequalities between groups of people that arise as intended or unintended consequences of social processes and relationships.

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What is the meaning of the word“class”

The United States has some vertical social mobility, but not as much as several nations in Western Europe.

Functionalist sociologists rely on measures of socioeconomic status (SES), such as education, income, and occupation, to determine someone’s social class. 

Source: Data from General Social Survey, 2008.

Conflict sociologists prefer different, though still objective, measures of social class that take into account ownership of the means of production and other dynamics of the workplace. 

What are different ways status can be measured?

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5MtVM_zFs&list=PLD202884902BBB1A8

Social StratificationA 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.

Diverse Sources of StratificationRace, 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.

Forms of Stratification

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The estate system is a politically

based system of stratification

characterized by limited social

mobility.

The caste system is a system of stratification based on

hereditary notions of

religious and theological purity and

generally offers no prospects for social mobility.

The class system is an economically based system of stratification with somewhat loose social mobility

based on roles in the production process rather than individual characteristics.

Social Mobility

The estate tax in the United States is related to the issue of stratification because it goes to the heart of questions about how to promote business growth, how wealth should be distributed, how to encourage meritocracy, and how to build a more equitable society.

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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.

Infographic, CEO Compensation, 1978-2008

Figure 7.2 CEO Compensation, 1978–2008You May Ask Yourself, 2nd Edition

Copyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company

Functional and Conflict Theories of Stratification

Class Structure

Functionalism Differentiation 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.

How Is America Stratified Today?The income gap

between high-income and low-income individuals has increased dramatically over the last 30 years.

One out of two people are living in or heading to poverty in the United States

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Social Stratification

Why Is There Inequality?The Class Structure of the

United StatesDiverse Sources of

StratificationPoverty

Figure 7.3 Average CEO Pay versus ProductionWorker Pay, 1970–2002

You May Ask Yourself, 2nd EditionCopyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company

Figure 7.2 CEO Compensation, 1978–2008You May Ask Yourself, 2nd Edition

Copyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company

Infographic, CEO Compensation, 1978-2008

Inequality in the United StatesNearly 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 States15% 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 States1% 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.

The Laddered Model of Stratification

The Double Diamond Model of Stratification

Median Income by Race and Household Status

Wealth and IncomeWealth 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 IncomeThe 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.

The Tax Burden: For Whom?

Poverty Among the Old and Young

Defining Social MobilitySocial 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.

Table 7.1 Relative Social Prestige of Selected U.S. OccupationsYou May Ask Yourself, 2nd Edition

Copyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company

Social MobilityMobility 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.

Globalization and SweatshopsSupporting the Brands You Love:

Two Viewshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2sW2wt3nLU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a_D-azUogg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1pXg3OqH_g

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

U.S. Poverty Rate Climbed To 15.1 Percent in 2011, Total Number Hit All-Time Record Total

Population - 312,000,000 – 47,000,00 in poverty

How do we compare to the world.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpKbO6O3O3M

The lines at the local food bank.

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

Who are the Homeless?Battered womenElderlyDisabledMentally Ill (20-25%)VeteransAIDS victims

What do you think are the Reasons for Homelessness?

Unemployment and/or eviction

Reductions in federal support for affordable housing

Eroding work opportunitiesInadequate housing for low-income people

What do you think are the Reasons for HomelessnessReductions in public assistance

Inadequate health careDomestic violenceAddiction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-naXAOUslM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICx3AfSlc-w&feature=related

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.