... | |White privilege |It’s a social expression of a white person demanding to be treated as a member of a socially | | |privileged class. | |Racial profiling |The use of an individual’s race or ethnicity by law enforcement personnel as a key factor in deciding| | |whether to engage in enforcement. | |Racism | | | |Actions or beliefs that reflect the racial worldview. | |Reverse discrimination |Discrimination against members of a dominant or majority group including city or state. | Part II Complete the following using the MySocLab Social Explorer Map: Income Inequality by Race located on your student website: • Select 1 racial group from the list below: o African American o Asian American o Arab American o Hispanic American/Latino o White/Caucasian • Write a 250- to 350-word summary of the economic, social, and political standings of that group. Use additional resources if necessary, from the University Library or your textbooks...
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...Dimensions of Social Inequality Julie McElwain Park University Abstract Social inequality is how different categories of individuals are prescribed by the society. The society uses basic characteristics such as gender, sex, education, and ethnicity among other factors in order to categorize an individual. The social inequalities determine the access to limited goods such as market labor force, education, health care facilities, and other forms of participation in the society. Different forms of social inequalities are constructs of geographical distribution, and status within the country, however, cultural aspects, mostly integrated with cultural identities, of society are perceived to be the major contributor of social inequality. Discourses have, therefore, been raised on whether the poor deserve to be poor or not and whether the rich deserve to be rich or not. In order to address this question, I examined different dimensions of social inequalities in my life such as social class, educational level, and race among other factors. In this paper, I will also try to bring out understanding of different theories in attempt to explain social stratification. A comparison will be done between different perspectives through interviews and my own perspective of social inequalities. In essence all factors discussed in this paper show a link between social inequalities and different factors such as economic and political system. Trends such as widening inequalities among...
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...Assess Weberian explanations for social class inequalities – 40 marks In terms of social class, the lower classes face more discrimination and inequalities within every institution. Although Weber acknowledges that social class inequalities occur, but he also found that age, gender and ethnicity can be forms of discrimination as well. Not all of the working class can be homogenised for having the same experiences facing inequalities. The more power you have the less inequalities you have, this is why the working classes face more than the upper classes. Marxists would disagree with Weber as he under played the role of social class, Marx argued it was the source of inequality, they don’t place any focus on the other factors Weber identifies. Functionalists disagree with both Marx and Weber as Durkheim believed that ‘inequalities’ are just differences. They also say that those differences can be overcome because it’s down to the individuals themselves. They don’t believe that society creates the inequalities for people but that individuals create them for themselves. Weber was influenced by Karl Marx and became the third founding father of sociology, he is known has the ghost of Marx due to the high similarity between the theories. Weber’s theory is a mix of structuralism and interactionism, showing elements of both Marxism and Functionalism within it. Weber believed that society as well as the individual can influence behaviour, but also that behaviour can influence the institutions...
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...What is Social Class? In sociology, the term ‘social class’ is most often used to refer to the primary system of social stratification found in modern capitalist societies. Social stratification refers to ‘the presence [in society] of distinct social groups which are ranked one above the other in terms of factors such as prestige and wealth’ (Haralambos and Holborn 2004, p.1). The defining feature of a stratified society, then, is that of inequality in terms of the ‘arrangement of individuals…in a hierarchy of advantaged and disadvantaged life chances’ (Fulcher and Scott 1999, p. 601). It has been suggested that social inequality is a feature of all human societies (Haralambos and Holborn 2004, p.1; Bilton et al 1994, p.34). Sociologists have identified a number of different forms of stratification systems existing in other societies or historic periods, for example, the caste system in traditional India, slavery and feudalism (Bilton et al 1994, pp. 36-41). From a study of other systems it is clear that not all systems of stratification are organised in terms of social class; the caste system for example was stratified in terms of status. In societies where ‘economic relationships are primary’, however, the division of members into groups in terms of similarities in attitudes, lifestyles and occupations is generally termed divisions of class. (Bilton et al 1994, p.36) For classic sociologist Karl Marx, an examination of the workings of social strata was essential...
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...Outline and asses marxist theories on social inequalities. Marxism is a political, social, and economic philosophy derived from the work of the 19th-century historians Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It views human history as a struggle between social classes and asserts that capitalism is inherently exploitative. According to Marxism, social inequality is an unfair situation, in which some individuals or groups have more money, influence and power etc over others, usually referring to the bourgeoisie, who use this advantage to oppress the proletariats. Marxists would argue that social inequality is caused by false class consciousness, and that eventually would lead to a revaluation. Marxism is a conflict theory, focusing on inequalities and divisions within society. According to Karl Marx, all stratified societies have two major classes, the bourgeoisie (rich) and the proletariats (poor). The rich owns the means of production, such as land capital, machinery etc, while the poor does not, this gives the ruling class the power to exploit the lower class, through the use of the superstructure, e.g. the legal and political system to justify their actions and maintain social order, due to the fact that the ruling class have more influence compared to the working class. According to Karl Marx, the rich exploits the working class who have to sell their labour to survive, thus creating huge inequalities, furthermore, due to the fact that many working class people rely on this...
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...Over the past decades, there has been different explanation of social class. In which sociologist describes social classes as a form of social stratification. For the purpose of this assignment, I will be critically analysed the various perspectives of social class and its impacts on society. However, this essay will analyse three major perspectives of social class, which are Marxism, Functionalism and Weberian. The impacts of social stratification an individual’s life chances and finally explains and evaluate social classification and their usefulness to the society. Social Class refers to a group of people who share a similar economic status, such as an occupation. According to the Oxford dictionary, social class is a system whereby people are divided into groups based on perceived social, cultural and economic status. However, social stratification is an element of social class, which is usually defined by sociologist as an inequality of uneven distribution of power, prestige and wealth. The structure of stratification use culture, social mobility and life chances, to report the issues of social inequalities Haralambos and Holborn (2013). The Marxists perspective of social class pioneered by Karl Marx (1972), the Marxists perspective focuses on the social strata drawn from the relationship of social groups to the means of construction, rather than social inequality in general. Marx’s classical definition, opposing proletarians and bourgeois in the society on...
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...Social Inequality Unit 04 [pic] What are Marxist theories of inequality? Learning targets: • Marxism is concerned for the poor and powerless. • It claims that society is in conflict between the rich who control everything and the poor who must work for the rich and gain little in reward for their work. • The rich are able to maintain their position of power through control of the law, the police and other forms of authority. • The rich also control the manufacture of ideas about society through controlling the media and education so poor people are taught to believe that capitalism is a good thing. Key questions (AO1) What is the Marxist view of society? (AO1) What causes inequality according to Marxists? (AO2) What are the strengths of the Marxist view? (AO2) What are the weaknesses of the Marxist view of inequality? Summary of Key Points Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) was an economist, philosopher and journalist who was motivated by concern for workers who were experiencing terrible poverty while all around was great wealth and power. He was a revolutionary who believed in working for a classless society. Marxism was not a powerful force in sociology until the 1960s and 1970s when it formed the basis of a challenge to functionalism. It offered a better account of the divisions of society at that time than functional sociology did. Marxism also triggered many of the ideas that were...
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...Marxism is a political, social, and economic philosophy derived from the work of the 19th-century historians Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It views human history as a struggle between social classes and asserts that capitalism is inherently exploitative. According to Marxism, social inequality is an unfair situation, in which some individuals or groups have more money, influence and power etc over others, usually referring to the bourgeoisie, who use this advantage to oppress the proletariats. Marxists would argue that social inequality is caused by false class consciousness, and that eventually would lead to a revaluation. Marxism is a conflict theory, focusing on inequalities and divisions within society. According to Karl Marx, all stratified societies have two major classes, the bourgeoisie (rich) and the proletariats (poor). The rich owns the means of production, such as land capital, machinery etc, while the poor does not, this gives the ruling class the power to exploit the lower class, through the use of the superstructure, e.g. the legal and political system to justify their actions and maintain social order, due to the fact that the ruling class have more influence compared to the working class. According to Karl Marx, the rich exploits the working class who have to sell their labour to survive, thus creating huge inequalities, furthermore, due to the fact that many working class people rely on this as a means of income, this gives the ruling class even more power...
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...morning we will be discussing the topic, Social Stratification. In this presentation we will define Social Stratification and compare and contrast the functionalist and conflict perspectives on this topic. We will also discuss some of the major problems associated with Social Stratification as well as some of the major agents that teach our gender roles and social class. So what is Social Stratification? Social Stratification refers to a situation in which people are divided into distinct groups ranked at different levels. In other words it is the hierarchical arrangement of social classes within a society. An example would be the Hindu caste system, where different castes have different levels of status depending on their supposed degree of religious purity. Social Stratification is patterned social inequality, by saying that inequality is patterned indicates that differences occur on a wide-scale, with regularity and along the lines of certain specific, identifiable characteristics. For example race, class or gender. And it is also the unequal distribution of societal resources. Stratification is based on three major premises; power, prestige and property. Power which refers to the ability to impose one’s will on others. Prestige, the respect given to others and then there is Property which is the different forms of wealth. There are four fundamental principles of Social Stratification. The first is Social Stratification is a characteristic of society...
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...post-modernists state that class has ceased to be the prime determinant of identity and suggest that societies are now organised around consumption rather than production, consequently people now identify themselves in terms of what they consume rather than in terms of social-class position. Class identity has therefore fragmented into numerous separate and individualised identities. Others argue that class is still a central influence on people’s lives, that it affects their life chances (health, education, voting, social mobility etc.), they argue that class inequality exists and that such inequalities are widening rather than narrowing. Early theories such as Functionalist theory argue that inequality is functional for society since it makes sure that those who show the most potential talent are encouraged to develop this talent through higher education and training, with the promise of higher incomes when they qualify (deferred gratification). They state that in order for society to function properly, society must make sure that people fully use their talents. Inequalities stem from the fact that society values different roles in different ways, based on the shared norms and values of a society. Davis and Moore argue that inequality is inevitable in modern society because people need to be put into different positions based on merit. They argue that society is a meritocracy and that there is equal opportunity for all, those who are the most talented and have increased their talent via...
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...For Karl Marx, the stratification of social classes was the most significant source of societal conflict. Max Weber's definition of social class differs most notably from Marx's conception of the term in the sense that for Weber, social class and political class cannot simply be lumped together as a single entity. (Humanities) Weber viewed and defined social and political realms separately in an attempt to put emphasis on the unique dynamic that power possesses in its own right, apart from economic interests. Moreover, he wanted to highlight the irrational features of power by making it clear that the rational interests of a class are not sufficient to explain the dynamics of society, particularly when comparing one society to another. (Humanities). Marx has a much more optimistic view of conflict theory than Weber. Where Marx would say the proletariat have revolution as an ultimate recourse, Weber says we're screwed pretty much regardless. Marx does not consider inequality to be inevitable (not the natural product of human interaction, so man is not naturally flawed) and the major tenants of Marxism are towards a Better, more Just society (prescriptive goal of social science). Weber, on the other hand, distrusted human nature and saw inequality as inevitable. Our analysis of human interaction, in his opinion, should be value-free and non-prescriptive given such a nature In today's sociology, we tend to see the same three factors, although Marxist sociologists still emphasize...
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...SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: INTRODUCTION AND SIGNIFICANCE Social strata are levels of social statuses. Members of a society who possess similar amount of wealth, power, and privileges occupy each social stratum. We can see layers of social statuses occupied by members of society. Organized systems of such strata are conceptualized as social stratification system. Social stratification refers to a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. Four basic principles of stratification: 1. Social stratification is characteristic of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences. Children born into wealth families are more likely than born into poverty to enjoy good health, achieve academically, succeed in their life’s work, and live well into old age. Neither rich nor poor people are responsible for creating social stratification, yet this system shapes the lives of them all. 2. Social stratification persists over generations. In all societies parents pass their social position along to their children, so that patterns of inequality stay much the same from generation to generation. Some individual experience change in their position in the social hierarchy. For most people, social standing remains much the same over a lifetime. 3. Social stratification is universal but variable. Social stratification is found everywhere. At the same time, what is unequal and how unequal people are vary from one society to another. 4. Social stratification involves not...
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...Media and Social Inequality The Media promotes and reproduces societal values and norms, establishing common meanings and understandings among groups and individuals. These common meanings are portrayed in the media and put forward by the dominant culture; and for this reason the patterns of inequality that benefit the dominant culture are produced and reproduced. The media today are not only entertaining the people but also favor the spreading of certain information. The different media thus convey the messages of the dominant culture and provide subcultures with justifications for these relations of ruling. These patterns of inequality can be interpreted through four major sociological angles: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and feminism. The term media is the plural of “medium” and is commonly found in association with the process of communication. “The mass media include newspapers, motion pictures, radio and television” (Curtis 304). These forms of communication have influenced in a greater scale society with the advance of technology in the last decades. The age of mass communication has made it possible for people to gain access to far more information than any society ever had. Information is indispensable to an advanced and complex civilization to the point of becoming a commodity for which individuals are willing to pay for. However, this commodity has not been a convenient tool when enhancing social values that promote social equality. In fact, it has...
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...Part 1: Introduction to Sociology – Social Stratification | Slide # | Slide Title | Slide Narration | Slide 1 | Introduction | Welcome to Introduction to Sociology. In this lesson we will introduce and discuss Social Stratification.Next slide. | Slide 2 | Topics | The following topics will be covered in this lesson:What Is Social Stratification?;Caste and Class Systems;The Functions of Social Stratification;Stratification and Conflict; andSocial Stratification: Facts and Values.Next slide. | Slide 3 | What Is Social Stratification? | Social stratification is a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. The study of social stratification across cultures shows that it has four basic principles.First, Social stratification is a trait of society. While personal ability and achievement play an important role in a person’s position in the stratification hierarchy, it is also a function of the social organization one operates under. As an example, children who are born into a wealthy family are more likely to enjoy good health, do well in school, succeed in a career, and live a long life.Second, Social Stratification persists over generations. We can see that stratification influences society by observing how parents pass along their social position to their children. Social mobility, a change in one’s position in the social hierarchy, is a product of a high-income society, but it is constrained by the social stratification processes. In America...
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...states in the book Race, ethnicity, gender and class, the author talks about how America as a whole is an integration of various groups of people. He also mentions that the diversity of America is ever growing and the acceptance of this change is slowly increasing as well. There are many categories, groups and class, people of America can be divided into based on what a specific group experience, a patter of disadvantages or inequalities, on how they appear physically and of what social minority group they come from (p.16). A minority group can face various disadvantages or inequalities at places or work or social gatherings where equal right or services are not provided to every group. This is known as stratification and has a powerful impact on the distribution of resources in America (p.18).Karl Marx , Max Weber, Gerhard Lenski and Patricia Hill Collins are all sociologists with different opinions and meanings for social inequality. For example, the author talks Karl Marx idea and mentions that “Marx argued that the most important source of inequality in society was the system of economic production” (p.19). Visible distinguishing traits are the second most defining characteristics of minority groups. The establishment of who is the dominant and who is minority are based on a variety of lines that include religion, language and occupation. However...
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