Lecture 6: Social Stratification

Question 1

Social Stratification Def.

Answer 1

1. persistent patterns of social inequality by society
2. way society is organized in layers or strata

Question 2

how is social stratification perpetuated?

Answer 2

distribution and generational passage of
1. wealth
2. power
3. prestige

Question 3

ascribed status

Answer 3

assigned at birth (race/gender/etc)

Question 4

achieved status

Answer 4

status you earned by performance

Question 5

Meritocracy

Answer 5

equal chance for people to gain higher status positions
– most capable = highest rank
– has degree of social mobility

Question 6

Modernization Theory

Answer 6

theory of development that was rooted in the 19th century and argued between traditional and modern societies

Question 7

What are modernizations 3 points?

Answer 7

1. all parts of society are functionally related, so change is like a domino effect
2. all societies develop in much same way
3. forces promoting/inhibiting development are internal in society

Question 8

What lens is modernization theory under?

Answer 8

structural functionalism (Davis & Moore; Lenski)

Question 9

what lens is dependency theory under?

Answer 9

conflict theory (Marx)

Question 10

who made dependency theory?

Answer 10

Wright

Question 11

what is dependency theory?

Answer 11

global inequality is the result of patterns of submission between rich and poor countries

Question 12

social mobility

Answer 12

refers to dynamics of the system regarding inequality, specifically to movement up and down the stratification system overtime

Question 13

INTRA-generational mobility

Answer 13

social mobility that occurs in a single generation

Question 14

INTER-generational

Answer 14

social mobility that occurs between generations

Question 15

Open system stratification

Answer 15

ascribed characteristics determine your social rank
(greater equality access to all hierarchy)

Question 16

closed system stratification

Answer 16

inheritance other then merit determines social rank

Question 17

closed system facts

Answer 17

1. little change is possible
2. social origins have high influence in where your status is

Question 18

circulatory mobility

Answer 18

1. person of higher status gets replaced
2. higher status gets demoted
3. new person replaces higher status

Question 19

k-shaped recovery facts

Answer 19

1. involves sharp paths often after improvement
2. upward path for upper-level service workers
3. flat-path for lower service workers

Question 20

k-shaped recovery definition

Answer 20

sharp divergent path after initial period of improvement

Question 21

social class

Answer 21

a group of people in a similar financial status as one-another (working class, professional class)

Question 22

class structure

Answer 22

permenant economic hierarchy comprised of different social classes

Question 23

what is socioeconomic status based on?

Answer 23

persons general status within the economy hierarchy
– based on –
1. income
2. education
3. occupation

Question 24

what are the means of production (conflict theory)

Answer 24

1. technology
2. capitalist investments
3. raw materials

Question 25

social stratification & conflict theory

Answer 25

1. mode of production
2. means of production
3. social relations of production

Question 26

what is social relations of production

Answer 26

relationships between main class in production

Question 27

what does mode of production consist of?

Answer 27

1.slavery
2. feudalism

Question 28

karl marx production value

Answer 28

1. value of product sold is the value it was made as
2. value of goods excess cost of production
3. takes form of profit when product is sold

Question 29

what does the means of production consist of?

Answer 29

1. tech
2. capital investments
3. raw materials

Question 30

why does surplus value happen

Answer 30

exploitation wage labourers by capitalists is result of surplus value

Question 31

social relations of production

Answer 31

relationships between main classes involved in production

Question 32

class conflict

Answer 32

1. conflict between major classes within mode of production
   – leads to new mode of production –
   – capitalism being replaced within the socialist mode of production –

Question 33

bourgeoises

Answer 33

owners of production

Question 34

Proletariat

Answer 34

workers who exchange labour for wage

Question 35

middle class

Answer 35

independent owners/producers and small business owners

Question 36

karl marx (cont’d) value of production definition

Answer 36

value of product sold is proportional to amount of labour to produce it

Question 37

surplus value definition

Answer 37

value of goods in excess cost of production
– takes form of profit when product is sold

Question 38

how is surplus made?

Answer 38

exploitation of wage labour by capitalist

Question 39

class conflict

Answer 39

conflict between major classes within mode of production

Question 40

class consciousness

Answer 40

recognition by members of a certain class which share opposition to another class
ex: poor and working vs rich

Question 41

symbolic interactionism and social stratification facts

Answer 41

1. focus on various determinants of power
   (ability to impose ones will on another)
2. structural bias of power

Question 42

types of structural bias of power

Answer 42

1. class
2. status
3. party

Question 43

economic capital

Answer 43

ownership of
1. land
2. real estate
3. industrial plants
4, equipment
5. stock and bonds

Question 44

human capital

Answer 44

investment in education and training

Question 45

social capital

Answer 45

social networks where people are connected and give varying degrees of access to others who are well-positioned

Question 46

cultural capital

Answer 46

widely shared high-status and cultural signals used for social and cultural inclusion or exclusion