SOCIOL 1Z03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Ascribed Status, Social Stratification, Social Inequality

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOCIOL 1Z03
• Professor: Lina Samuel

Document Summary

Lecture 9-10: social stratification: society"s hierarchical ranking of people into social classes. Perception that things are fair but is really only beneficial for those at the top: social class: based on both birth and achievements. Working class, middle class, etc: social status: position within the class structure, mertiocracy: system that emphasizes personal attributes and desmonstrated abilities. Much more unevenly distributed: power- wealth is an important source of power, occupational prestige- (rankings on slide 6 of lecture 9-10, schooling- very important in terms of occupation. Not always equal participation by women and people. Strong correlation bw level of education and earning: ancestry- who we are at birth, what we get by being born into the right family vs. wrong family. Being born into privilege or being born into poverty: study by harvey cran: found that by having just one person who is university educated influences their academic future and dreams.