Stratification and differentiation
Stratification- dividing society into hierarchically ordered layers- most privileged at the top least favoured at the bottom- power, wealth and prestige is unequalled split between the layers or strata.
Power- ability for individuals in society to achieve their goals.
Wealth- possessions held.
Prestige- honour given to a certain job or role in society. This honour usually rewarded by high pay levels.
Differentiation- this refers to the social characteristics that make an individual or group different or separate from another eg occupation, income, gender or ethnic background. Diff is important as it affects life chances.
Life chances- the opportunities for success or failure in all aspects of life by an individual.
Types of Stratification
Open societies- people can move along the strata of society with social mobility ie you can get rich and become upper class moving out of the working class- there is high social mobility.
The caste system- based on ascription (born into your status) and cant move out of it- founded on Hinduism. This is a closed system.
Feudalism- medieval Europe 4 layers of society- king nobility knights peasants. Ascribed rarely moved
Modern Britain- class system based on economic factors on occupation and income also gender, ethnic background.
Gender- seen as important feminists say we live in a male dominated society ‘patriarchal’ pro male anti female.
Sex- biological differences between male and females Gender means the expected behaviour of male/female
How does gender vary between cultures
Arapesh- both genders sensitive and gentle both bring up children (feminine)
Mundugumor- both assertive aggressive hate childbirth and child rearing (masculine)
Tchambuli- women assertive practical men interested in art and gossip- gender roles reversed.
How have gender roles in Britain changed?
Sex discrimination Act 1975 cant discrim as an employer in terms or sex or marriage.
Equal opportunities commission set up to ensure that discrim does not take place vrs sexism
How can gender affect life chances?
Education-
Media-
Deviance-
Family-
Religion-
Work-
Poverty-
Population-
Life expectancy
Ethnicity and differentiation
Ethnicity- refers to the characteristics of social groups who have a sense of shared identity based on culture, language or traditional values eg Asians, Pakistanis, Africans etc
Discrimination- this is when a group or person is treated differently due to their characteristics. Individual racism is pickting out one person and treating them unfairly or institutional racism where the laws and policies of society or a section of society leads to treating groups unfairly.
Commission for Racial Equality 1976- this ensures that the Race Relations Act is followed.
How have positions of Ethnic Minorities in Britain changed?
More ethnic minority MP’s and local councillors though still under represented in influential areas of society though ethnic minorities make up 5% of British society.
How important if age as a form of differentiation?
1)Chronological age- how old you are
2) Biological age how old they are physically wrinkles movement etc
3)Social age- how you are treated in society because you have reached a certain age ie 18, 21, 75 etc
Childhood
Previously sociologists suggest that children were seen as young workers but now they have a time for childhood and legally this is recognised. In the UK children are protected by the law.
Youth
Transition between childhood and adulthood- changes take place here
Leave education and gain employment
Become independent of the family
Involved in adult activities ie drinking driving a car
Increased status in society
Difficult to identify when youth begins and childhood ends
Youths may be discriminated against due to lack of economic power, status in society and fear- being blamed for problems in society
Old Age
Retirement is accepted in UK since 1950’s. Part time jobs available now
Status of Old people culturally different some see them as wise and valuable others as weak and expendable
Ageism- discrimination against people of a certain age- esp in employment, some have lage incomes though
Class
Functionalist view
Class is important to society- each class has a function to perform
1)we know who is the most important- top of hierarchy
2)allows society to reward those performing important roles through pay and prestige
3)gives incentives to indiv to strive to achieve to progress up the hierarchy
Class system is open Talented reach the top
Marxist view
Capitalist society controlling workers through class system
1)bourgeoisie (owners of capital) they are propertied and run the country
2)proletariat (workers) they are poor and work
3)Class conflict where bourgeoisie make money from the proletariat
Weberian view
Class conflict exists status and power is also important in class
1)individual may be wealthy but lack status ie lottery winner
2)individual may be poor but have status ie religious leader or nurse
3)may be powerful but not very wealthy ie politicians
So class is determined by three factors economic wealth, status and power.
How do we measure class?
Income, wealth, area lived in, education, housing, car, status, power, clothing, accent, occupation
Occupational scales- rank types of job and jobs- manual- physical work and non manual not much physical work usually middle class occupations (blue collar workers are manual white collar workers non manual)
Registrar Generals Scale based on occupation
Standard Occupational classification groups jobs according to similarities in qualifications training as well as skills and expertise.
Problems of using occupation to measure class
1)very rich people have no occupation- Lords and Ladies where would they be placed?
2)What of unemployed or not working ie house wives
3)Not detailed enough farmer can be a multi millionaire or a small farmer with 2 sheep!
4)Sexist women are categorised under their husbands but may have better jobs
5)Combined wages are ignored so two teachers have a better life style than one
Should the class of women be measured separately?
1)sexist as based on male occupations
2)male is assumed to be head of the house hold
3)family/ household changes single parent families, female headed households
4)different status to male and female versions of same job clerical work seen as route to promotion for men but seen as a career for women.
Two assumptions- woman’s position should be taken into account. Women should be seen as individuals based on their employment. Ie Surrey Group Classification.
What is the importance of Social Class?
Income- higher class incomes rise faster than lower. Top 10% rose 3.4% bottom 10% rose 1.1% in 1994
Life expectancy- 1996 professional class LE 7 yrs longer than unskilled manual
Accidents- children from professional background 4 times less likely have accidental death than unskilled
Infant mortality- babies fathers unskilled or semi skilled higher mortality rate than higher class
Health- unskilled men 3 times more likely to smoke than professional
Education- higher class background more likely to have high education 1990 81% uni students from MC
Leisure- professional and intermediate backgrounds more likely hv holidays than lower classes
Housing- 1993 90% professionals home owners 42% manual unskilled workers.
What changes have taken place in the class structure in Modern Britain?
Society has changed- more affluent (richer), benefit system, greater education, occupation structure changed
Class structure in 1950’s clear working class manual unskilled, middle class non manual, upper class rich. Working class now- embourgeoisement- wc become mc in behaviour values lifestyle.
Or 2 groups in wc traditional wc- manual, n England and Scotland and the new wc- live down south homeowners more affluent.
Middle class now- clerical workers now mc due to proletarianization
Professions growing group ie drs solicitors added to by teachers, social workers
New class structure- fragmented classes and divisions within
Underclass now- living on benefits, unemployed single mums, disadvantaged ethnic minorities
Rich or upper class- landowners and aristocracy ie royals and Duke of Westminster (owns London streets)
Entrepreneurial rich- owners of large companies by families Sainsbury
Self made rich- Richard Branson self made people
How are the upper class changing? Landowners and aristocracy decreasing other two groups expanding.
Wealth- marketable income generating assets- jewellery, stocks shares, houses (not your main one) land
Wealth is distributed unequally in society- richest 10% have 70% of nation’s wealth.
Income- flow of money households receive from various sources.
Original – total income receives before tax etc
Disposable- income after tax etc removed
Income is important in determining life chances. Perks are often with some jobs and not seen as income eg company car, shares, home with the job.
How socially mobile is modern Britain?
We live in an open society which is meritocratic (can move according to effort and talent)
Intra generational mobility- movement of indiv over his/her lifetime ie become a lawyer were a cleaner.
Inter generational mobility- movement between generations- father a miner child is a lawyer.
Long range mobility- movement across two or more occu groups in Reg Gen Scale
Short range mobility- movement one occu group
Self recruitment- children follow occu of parents ie actors
What are the problems of measuring social mobility?
1)using occupation as a measure of class position not accurate
2)status of many jobs changes over time- so same job over time may be diff class
3)when do we measure an indivs career? May be in a fluid company waiting for promotion
What are social trends in mobility in Britain today?
Intergenerational mobility- upward movement changes in occu structure more room at the top. Working class children still less likely to enter professions than those of MC. Intra gen mobility difficult to work way up to the top.
Barriers to mobility
Social class background, gender, ethnic background- discrimination is still a problem
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