...Social Inequality essay plans for Part b) 30 mark question Evaluate the usefulness of sociological explanations of ethnic inequalities.(30) Evaluate the view that society is institutionally racist (30) Adapt according to question given Introduction Ethnic inequalities are still significant in the UK – give a few examples. Suggest some explanations e.g Racism, Institutional racism, social class of ethnic minorities (Marxism), welfare dependency (New Right). This essay will identify and assess these explanations. AO1 Define types of Racism e.g Barker and new racism, institutional racism – McPhearson report on murder of stephen lawrence – racism in met police. Jenkins suggests recruitment to jobs is more word of mouth and disadvantages ethnic minorities. Modood 1994 28% of african caribbean people surveyed said they felt they had been refused a job on grounds of race. AO2 There are many government acts such as Race relations acts which should prevent discrimination AO2 However because racism is implicit (hidden) now it can be difficult to prove in court. AO1 Marxists such as Westergaard and Resler argue that race is a distraction from the real issue which is social class. It is capitalism which disadvantages certain groups and ethnic minorities are more likely to be in lower classes. AO2 However this ignores the existence of racism in society e.g in education where black boys have the highest exclusion rates in school. AO1 Another marxist explanation by Castles...
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...measure of inequality in income distribution. Gini coefficient is specified as a ratio between 0 and 1. A society that tallies 0.0 on the Gini scale is said to possess perfect equality in income distribution. A society with a score of 1 suggests total inequality. Gini coefficient expects that no person in a society has negative wealth or net income. The coefficient is named after its inventor, the Italian statistician Corrado Gini (23rd May, 1884-13th March, 1965). The Gini coefficient is usually defined mathematically based on the Lorenz curve, which plots the proportion of the total income of the population (y axis) that is cumulatively earned by the bottom x% of the population (see diagram). The line at 45 degrees thus represents perfect equality of incomes. The Gini coefficient can then be thought of as the ratio of the area that lies between the line of equality and the Lorenz curve (marked 'A' in the diagram) over the total area under the line of equality (marked 'A' and 'B' in the diagram); i.e., G=A/(A+B). The Gini coefficient can range from 0 to 1; it is sometimes multiplied by 100 to range between 0 and 100. A low Gini coefficient indicates a more equal distribution, with 0 corresponding to complete equality, while higher Gini coefficients indicate more unequal distribution, with 1 corresponding to complete inequality. To be validly computed, no negative goods can be distributed. Thus, if the Gini coefficient is being used to describe household income inequality, then...
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...Issues in inequality in non-income dimensions Achin Chakraborty Institute of Development Studies Kolkata 1, Reformatory Street, 5th Floor Calcutta University Alipore Campus Kolkata 700 027 India achinchak@rediffmail.com Abstract There are two basic approaches to measuring inequality in non-income dimensions. One views inequality as variation of an outcome indicator across individuals and the other views inequality as essentially disparities across socioeconomic groups. While the latter view now dominates the inequality measurement in health, measurement of education inequalities has so far taken the first view. In this paper, we have argued the importance of reckoning inequality in socio-economic group terms and advocated use of an ‘education concentration index’ exactly in the same way as the health concentration index measures socio-economic inequalities in health. The index has been applied to the Indian data to reckon two kinds of inequalities in educational attainment (years of education) – one across economic classes and the other across socially identified groups such as the Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and others. We find a strong correlation between the two types of inequalities across the states of India. We also find, as one would expect, that the inequality index values are negatively correlated with the average years of education. However, in actual policy context, analysis of the outliers...
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...Social Inequality Unit 07 What is the relationship between ethnicity and inequality? Learning targets: • There are ethnic differences in life chances in the UK. • Some ethnic minorities appear to be the victims of racism and discrimination in the UK • There have been strict laws to prevent racism and ethnic inequality in the UK. • There are those who believe that the social changes that have come about because of legal controls are more cosmetic than deeply embedded into our social structure. Key questions (AO1) What evidence is there of ethnic inequality in UK? (AO1) How are ethnic inequalities being challenged by government policies? (AO2) To what extent is British culture racist and ethnically unequal? (AO2) What are social implications of racism in our society? Summary of Key Points 1 2 What is racism? Racism is the belief that some ethnic groups are superior and others inferior. This belief is often associated with notions of skin pigmentation or the minor physical differences that are sometimes apparent between different groups of people. However, racism is not always associated with skin colour, but also with culture, ethnicity, with religious belief or language differences. The notion of racism itself is also a very recent idea in our society. In the past, the idea that people from certain ethnic groups were superior to and different from others was so deeply...
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...Inequalities in Society P1 The society that we live in today isn’t equal, inequalities can be seen in every corner of the earth and there are a whole multitude of different explanations and factors that are causing this. When we talk about an unequal society we are referring to the why one person can and will achieve things such as obtaining their dream job and or fulfilling their lives ambition. But another person with just as much drive and determination, ability and intelligence as the previously stated, one who is equal to any other but does not live a life that holds the same opportunities as everyone else. For a very basic example we state that individuals of different ethnicity will have their thoughts and desires held at higher or lesser importance purely because of where they are from, this is called marginalisation. Stereotyping and prejudices are often interlinked but they are different and both play the part in inequalities, stereotyping being the act of assuming an idea and or image of something or someone while prejudice is a preconceived idea or perception that is formed without any actual experience. Discrimination and labelling are also major factors that can breed inequality, treating somebody different or valuing them differently based on a specific factor about them or assigning them to a category for the same reasons. From all of the above people can develop an attitude towards and person or thing, an example of this would be that say an individual is...
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...class is no longer important as an individual’s identity and life chances are based more status and cultural factors such as lifestyle, values, intelligence, education and the like, the 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...
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...American cities. This includes commercial and social aspects inequalities. The book also puts emphasis on the role played by these inequalities (Dreier, Mollenkopf & Swantrom, 2005). Among the emphasis, are their role in segregation of areas which led to the social classification as either “rich” or “poor” and its aftermath in the eventual disintegration of the cities’. Apart from this, book also shows the relationship between this situation and the political mechanisms involved. This connection, the author argues, plays a crucial role in either improvement of the cities’ or deterioration. The authors also present proposals on how to stop the deterioration and transform them for the better (Dreier, Mollenkopf & Swantrom, 2005). This paper tries to assess the arguments presented by the authors in tackling the problem. This evaluation is based on the description of the authors’ proposal and its feasibility to various cities in the U.S. This petition will try to prove that indeed no matter how “radical” an idea is, its feasibility would be meaningless without a practical application. Moreover, the book tackles continued disparity among the rich and poor and the relevance places hold in determining where the two classes reside within a city. The state of amenities in various parts within the city is easily associated with the social class residing in it. Not only the physical attributes of buildings in the area, but also other facilities come into play in determining the...
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...Throughout my assignment I will be looking at many elements of the sociological spectrum which go hand in hand with the element of health and illness. These things will include the introduction of social groups and looking at their statistics. “A social group is a collection of people who interact with each other and share similar characteristics and a sense of unity. A social category is a collection of people who do not interact but who share similar characteristics. For example, women, men, the elderly, and high school students all constitute social categories. A social category can become a social group when the members in the category interact with each other and identify themselves as members of the group.” - Anonymous, 2014. No only will I be looking at the social elements, but how it links in to health and trends in illness to find out just how the can both relate. Things such as Morbidity rates (the counted statistic rate in which disease appears in the population). Not forgetting other patterns in health including mortality rate known to be the amount of deaths calculated per annum along with many other rates that can effect the illness of social groups and reasons as to why and how these rates may effect them. As previously mentioned before a social group is a collection of people who interact with each other and share similar characteristics and a sense of unity. A social category is a collection of people who do not interact but who share similar characteristics...
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...Higher Sociology Understanding Human Society 1 Acknowledgements SFEU (Scottish Further Education Unit) gratefully acknowledges the contribution made to this publication by Learning and Teaching Scotland who have granted permission to use material previously produced by Higher Still Development Unit. SFEU also thanks SQA for permission to reproduce parts of the Arrangement documents. Copyright statement Documents on NQ Online can be downloaded free. However, where the publications are the copyright of Learning and Teaching Scotland, educational establishments in Scotland may reproduce them in whole or in part provided that the source is acknowledged and that no profit accrues at any stage. Other users of these publications should contact Learning and Teaching Scotland before reproducing any of them. Please note all rights held by the former Higher Still Development Unit continue to be held by Learning and Teaching Scotland. Contents Statement of Standards 3 Guide to Learning and Teaching Pack 7 Introduction to the Unit and Learning and Teaching Approaches 8 Class stratification 9 Recommended reading and recommended websites for class stratification 10 Introduction to social stratification 11 Class stratification 15 Functionalist theory of class stratification 24 Summary of functionalism ...
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...obvious improvement in social area today compare to the past. However, there are improvements does not mean that gender inequality can be totally eliminated. (India gender parity index has improved from 0.464 in 1975 to 0.918 in 2010. ) Second mean point: gender equality is possible as there are measures to protect woman’s rights. However, this is only for those developed country, for those third world countries the sexism still exists, and it is hard to solve due to economic and political problems. Third mean point: the low education level of female in some part of the world make a vicious cycle, thus women unable to gain their rights. (87% of Afghan are illiterate, in India 44.5% of girls are married before the age of 18.) Fourth mean point: it is impossible to eliminate the gender discrimination as it against some races’ religion and culture. (in Africa people believe only women undergoes genital mutilation is pure, and those who does not are less value. In Malaysia, due to their religion, women have to respect their husband and cover most of their bodies. ) Fifth mean point: it is impossible as men and women are born different physically. Women have to give birth to child. In conclusion, gender equality can never be possible. “No society treats its women as well as its men.” That’s the conclusion from the United Nations Development Programme, as written in its 1997 Human Development Report. Gender inequality has become a problem that...
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...GLOBAL INEQUALITY Global inequalities among nations are the outcome of centuries of nations’ struggle over global supremacy, forced circumstances and mismanaged priorities by the nations themselves and world as a whole. Historically global inequality refers to the three-world model and includes "World System Theory."The three-world model assumes that the entire world was once agrarian. Most of the worlds’ work involved farming, which was the most advanced type of economic activity. Around the middle of the eighteenth century, Europe began the transition to an industrial economy. The countries of Western Europe adopted the economic policy of capitalism and coupled it with factory technology. These (and their offspring: United States, Canada, and Australia, principally) became the wealthy countries of the world and are referred as the first world countries. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Russia adopted the socialist economic model and began to industrialize. However, it was a century and a half behind Western civilization, and socialism did not turn out to be effective in a world that was geared toward capitalism. The countries that followed this model (U.S.S.R,China, Cuba, etc.) became the Second World Countries. Countries that were unaffected by the two great revolutions (Industrial Revolution in the West and Communist Revolution in the East) are today's Third World Countries, the poorest countries in the world. World System Theory postulates that the vast majority...
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...Income inequality Name Date Abstract In any given population, there is a difference between what people within the population earn. The uneven distribution of income in any given population is income inequality. In order for there to be income, there has to be several sources of income. These sources of income may be combinational or independent per person receiving the income. Income may result from wages, rent, bank account interests, salaries or even profits made in business transactions ( Stiglitz, 2012). In his hypothesis, Karl Marx foresaw income inequality in a capitalistic as a major problem that would lead to an economic evolution. The main reason he foresaw an evolution was due to the recurrent nature of income inequality. In an income inequality situation, the richer keep getting richer due to a better income, while the poor keep getting poorer. The gap between the top earners and the low-income earners keeps widening in an income inequality situation. In America, almost 95% of the national wealth is under 5% ownership; this situation leaves 95% of the population to scrounge for the limited 5% wealth (DeNavas et. Al, 2005). Introduction In order to understand the complexities of economic inequality, the best specimen to use for the study is a family. In the study, the family’s income is under analysis, and then the family members ranked from the lowest income earner to the highest income earner. After the ranking, the incomes aid in establishing a Lorenz...
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...Causes of Discrimination By: Simon Wright Discrimination covers any scenario where an individual or company treats a person or group of people unfairly due to a particular characteristic. The most commonly referred to types of discrimination include prejudicial behavior that is based on skin color, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation. However, discrimination can be based on any attribute that is viewed as marking the victim out as being different. For example, discrimination might be on the basis of age, weight, height, nationality or any number of other attributes. In order to tackle this hurtful and damaging behavior, it's important to identify the causes of discrimination. Ignorance, fear and stereotyping Discrimination is often based on ignorance, fear and stereotypical viewpoints. For example, religious and/or sectarian discrimination is often fuelled by people living and working in separate communities and therefore not having ample opportunity to interact with people from the other group. Discrimination in Northern Ireland has not been helped by the fact that most children either go to protestant or catholic schools and many grow up in neighborhoods that are largely divided along the same lines. The erecting of walls (either real or psychological) between communities is a perfect breeding ground for discrimination. It is the responsibility of society to reject a "them and us" mentality wherever it is encountered and to ensure that young people get the...
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...demographic research, Los Angeles Times Maps (2015) reveals race / ethnic composition, age, housing, and income of the county. Central Alameda has a diverse ethnicity, where Latino and Black people have the highest percentage. An estimate of 84.6% are considered Latino and 13.3% are considered Black. At least 1.0% are considered white, 0.7% are considered Asian, and 0.4% are considered as other. The median age in the neighborhood is 22. When referring to housing, 29.8% are home owners and 70.2% are renters. 64.78% has a median household...
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...was admitted into hospital. The government has made the use of having these records available a legal requirement so that the statistics may be available when they are required. Statistics can be collected through the use of surveys, i.e. the national census of which is held every 10 years in the UK by the government. The national census survey has been in place since 1801 and takes into account each individual within a household. It is able to provide an outline of the UK which enables us to compare geographical areas. However statistics are not always accurate for what they represent, as there will always be information on illness which may not be reported therefore the statistics can only provide a general idea on what health in England is actually like. Patterns of ill health can also be identified through other means, such as using reports; one such example includes the Black Report which took place back in 1980, and discovered that there were gross inequalities in...
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