ANTH 1003 Lecture : Final Notes
Stratification:Class, Race, Ethnicity, and Caste 5/9/2012 11:18:00 PM
Social Stratification
• Relatively permanent unequal distribution of goods and services in
a society
• Mechanism depends on
o The organization of production, cultural values
o The access that different individuals and groups have to the
means for achieving social goals
Theories of Stratification
• Functionalism- specific cultural institutions function to support the
structure of society or serve the needs of individuals in society
o Weaknesses
▪ Not all society’s most difficult jobs are well rewarded
▪ Social Stratification does not always result in recruiting
the right people for difficult jobs
▪ Limits to Financial motivation
▪ Inequality has potential to erupt into violence
• Conflict theory- focuses in inequality as a source of conflict and
change
o Weaknesses
▪ Ignore the social mechanisms that promote solidarity
across class, racial, ethnic, and caste lines
Criteria of Stratification
• Power
o Is the ability to control resources in one’s own interest
• Wealth
o Is the accumulation of material resources or access to the
means of producing these resources
• Prestige
o Is social honor and respect
Class Systems
• A class is a category of persons with about the same opportunity to
obtain economic resources, power, and prestige and who are
ranked high and low in relation to each other
• There are possibilities for movement between the classes or social
strata, called social mobility
Ascribed vs. Achieved status
• Ascribed status- is the social position onto with a person is born
(sex, race, kinship group)- something you cant change
• Achieved status- is the social position that a person chooses or
achieved (spouse, parent, professor, artist)
Social class in the United States
• Status depends on occupation, education, and lifestyle
• “the American Dream” is bases on the democratic principle of
equality and opportunity for all
• social class in the US correlates with attitudinal, behavioral, and
lifestyle differences
Income and Social Class
• Income is the most important determinant of social class
• Sufficient and steady income is essential toward saving and
accumulating assets
U.S. income and social class
• From 1980-2010
o After-tax income of the top 1% of American households
jumped 139% to more than 700, 00
o Income of the middle fifth of household rose 17% to 43, 700
o Income of the poorest fifth rose only 9%
Life chances
• Life chances are the opportunities people have to fulfill their
potential in society
o Chances of survival and longevity
o Opportunities to obtain an education
o Opportunities to participate in cultural life
o Opportunities to live in comfort and security
Social classes and Subcultures
• Social class correlates with differences in attitudes, behavior
lifestyle, and values
• Social class as subculture
o Members share similar life experiences, occupational roles,
values, educational backgrounds, affiliations, leisure
activities, buying habits religious affiliation, and political views
The cultural construction of race
• Race is a culturally-constructed category
o Based on perceived hereditary differences
o Not a natural category, but a social and cultural fact
o Used to justify differential treatment and discrimination
o Affects the lives of both racial majorities and minorities
Race and Racism
• Highly correlated with industrial pollution and natural disasters
o Hurricane Katrina
o Uranium mining on Navajo reservation
• Affects jobs and educational opportunities, access to fair credit,
salary levels, social mobility, home ownership, mortgage rates, use
of public space
Ethnicity
• A constructed narrative that focuses on cultural rather racial
differences
• Nation-states may be characterized by ethnic stratification, ass
different ethnic groups have differential access to political and
economic resources- changed through time
Document Summary
Stratification:class, race, ethnicity, and caste 5/9/2012 11:18:00 pm. Social stratification: relatively permanent unequal distribution of goods and services in a society, mechanism depends on, the organization of production, cultural values, the access that different individuals and groups have to the means for achieving social goals. Criteria of stratification: power, is the ability to control resources in one"s own interest, wealth, is the accumulation of material resources or access to the means of producing these resources, prestige, is social honor and respect. Achieved status: ascribed status- is the social position onto with a person is born (sex, race, kinship group)- something you cant change, achieved status- is the social position that a person chooses or achieved (spouse, parent, professor, artist) Income and social class: income is the most important determinant of social class, sufficient and steady income is essential toward saving and accumulating assets.
