UNIT 4 Flashcards
(22 cards)
social stratification
: compact system consisting of
the collection of social strata and their mutual
relationships and interactions
–Rank approach: static approach, emphasis on the
classification
–Relationship approach: dynamic approach, emphasis on
the interaction
Types of resources distributed by
social stratification:
- Material resources: wealth, income,
consumer goods, means of
production, etc. - Symbolic resources: power,
education, social standing,
qualifications, job hierarchy, roles,
rights and obligations, etc
Social classes: Karl Marx
–Private ownership of means of production
* Main social classes:
–Capitalists (bourgeoisie)
–Proletariat (working class)
EXPLOTATIOn
Social classes: Max Weber
Not only private ownership of means of production
–Also technical knowledge → skills and qualifications
–sourcew of inequality: Wealth (property), status (prestige, honor) and power:
three sources of inequality (and they can diverge)
* Main social classes:
–Educated owners (upper class)
–Petite bourgeoisie
–White-collar workers
–Working class → blue-collar workers
Status Phenomenon (Max Weber)
refers to the social prestige or honor accorded to individuals or groups. Status is not purely economic but is also related to recognition, admiration, and respect from others. It’s tied to how people perceive someone’s position in society.
Elitism refers to the belief that a society or system should be led by an elite group.
Occlusive group behavior describes how high-status groups often engage in exclusive behaviors, creating barriers to entry for those outside their group. This can reinforce social inequality, as elites create insular circles of power and influence.
Status Consistency/Inconsistency:
Consistencia de estatus: Ocurre cuando una persona tiene una posición social homogénea en diferentes áreas (como economía, educación y ocupación). Por ejemplo, una persona rica, educada y con un trabajo prestigioso tiene alta consistencia de estatus.
Inconsistencia de estatus: Sucede cuando las diferentes dimensiones del estatus de una persona no coinciden. Por ejemplo, una persona con un alto nivel educativo pero un bajo salario o una ocupación menos prestigiosa tiene inconsistencia de estatus.
Conspicuous Consumption (Veblen):
Veblen coined this term to describe how people purchase and display expensive goods to publicly demonstrate their wealth and status. This is particularly prevalent among the elite, who use consumption to signify power and superiority.
Se refiere a la práctica de gastar dinero en bienes y servicios no tanto por su utilidad, sino para mostrar el estatus social y la riqueza de una persona. En otras palabras, las personas compran productos caros y lujosos principalmente para demostrar su poder adquisitivo y diferenciarse de los demás, no tanto para satisfacer necesidades o mejorar su calidad de vida.
Theory of Class Distinction (Pierre Bourdieu):
how tastes, education, and cultural knowledge help people maintain or enhance their social status. Those with more cultural capital (e.g., knowledge of fine art, classical music) tend to be of higher status.
how one chooses to present one’s social space to the world,
one’s aesthetic dispositions, depicts one’s status and distances oneself
from lower groups
aborda cómo las clases sociales se definen y se mantienen a través de diferencias culturales y gustos. Según Bourdieu, las distinciones sociales no se limitan solo a los factores económicos (como el dinero), sino también a las prácticas culturales, las preferencias estéticas y las formas de consumo. La teoría sostiene que las clases sociales se distinguen no solo por lo que tienen, sino por lo que hacen y cómo lo hacen.
The 3 theoretical approaches to sociology
and stratification
Functionalism: it is functional (more important jobs for
society are rewarded more (Davis & Moore)
Conflict theory: stratification provides advantages to
some at the expense of others (it is the product of
conflict and leads to conflict)
Symbolic interactionism: How do we know about
class in everyday life? For example, conspicuous
consumption tells us how individual send messages
about their class. We give signs to each other.
Meritocracy:
social mobility is based on personal merits and
individual talents
social stratum
group of individuals with common traits and occupying the same position in the social scale of disrtibution of material and symbolic resources in a given society
types of resources
material: wealth, income, consumer goods, means of pro
symbolic: power, education, social standing, qualifications, job hyerarchy, roles, rights and obligations
closed system
position has been giuven to you (escribed). you cannot change
open system
variable: position achieved, you can do something to move to the next grouo tahnks to your oerformance
social mobility and types
moving of individual groups within a stratification system
upward
downward
horitzontal
class consciouness
being aware of one’s social class and its own interests
cultural imperialism
dominance of one group groups culture over another , often erasing or marginalizing local tradictions
endogamy
marrying within one’s social group to preserve its status
slavery
two main groups
slaves doesnt have feedom at aall, they cannot doanythinf. war___ main source ( country who lost the war)
caste system
india. 5 main groups. further divided in 3000 castes and 2500 subcastes, i
its closed (ascribed to you) you get the job dependint on your caste
re-incarnations
you know where you belong by birth
estate system
Nobility
Clergy
Commoners
feudal europe
Nit always fully base don economic conditiond
serfs cannot be sol d
reciprocity
social classes
indurstrial society
borgeoise (middle class)
working class (ploretariat)
open system
acquired
intersectionality
examines how overlaping social categories /race, gender,…) create unique experiences of discrimination. for example a black women facing racism and sexism simultaneously
