Social Stratification, Social Class, and Ethnicity

Social Stratification Ranking of individuals or categories of people on the basis of unequal access to scare resources and social rewards. * Division of people into categories, ranks or classes.

Ascribed status – ancestry, race, age, physical appearance, and gender. Achieved status – education or occupation Other factors that determine rank or position in society include talent and effort.

Four Basic Principles of Social Stratification: It is a characteristic of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences. It persists over generations. It is universal but variable. It involves not just inequality but beliefs.

Cultural beliefs serve to justify social stratification. That is part of the reason why it persists.

Nearly 1 in 6 children in the U.S. live poverty: Social inequality – the unequal sharing of scare resources and social rewards. Inequality in the United States Nearly 1 in 6 children in the U.S. live poverty: 30% of African American children 29% of Hispanic children 12% of Asian American children 9.4% of White non-Hispanic children

Inequality in the United States 15% of the U.S. population has no health insurance. The average cost of a day’s stay in the hospital is $1, 217—two weeks’ pay for the average worker

Inequality in the United States 1% of the U.S. population controls 38% of the total wealth in the nation. The bottom 20% owe more than they own. CEOs of major companies earn an average of $13.1 million dollars per year. Workers earning the minimum wage make $15,080 per year, if they work 40 hours a week for 52 weeks per year and hold only one job.

Types of Stratification Systems Closed – movement between status levels is impossible. A person assigned a status at birth and remains at that level throughout life. Open – movement between status levels is possible. The ease of movement depends on the degree of openness in the system.

Characteristics of Caste and Class Systems Caste System: Closed and lifelong Immobility and inherited status Based on specific occupations Ascribed status Class System: Open and mobile Reward is determined by achieved status Property, prestige, and power are important (Max Weber)

Caste System In some countries such as India, people still live under a caste system socially. Caste systems have traditionally forbidden the practice of exogamy, marriage outside one’s social category. Instead, caste systems generally practice endogamy. Endogamy is marriage within one’s own social category.

Dimensions of Social Stratification social class – grouping of people with similar levels of wealth (property), power, and prestige. Wealth (property) – made up of assets (value of everything one owns) and income.

Dimensions of Social Stratification power – the ability to control the behavior of others, with or without their consent based on force, possession of special skills, knowledge, social status, personal characteristics, custom/tradition prestige – respect, honor, recognition, or courtesy an individual receives from other members of society based on income, occupation , education, family, residences, possessions, club memberships

The American Class System Section 2: The American Class System The American Class System open system law forbids discrimination based on ascribed characteristics such as race or gender in theory, all have equal access to resources rate of social mobility is not equal for all segments of society

Median Income by Race and Household Status

Determining Social Class reputational method – individuals are asked to rank other community members based on what they know of their character and lifestyle subjective method – individuals are asked to determine their own social rank objective method – sociologists define social class by income, occupation, and education

Social Classes in the United States Section 2: The American Class System Social Classes in the United States 1% upper class 14% upper-middle class 30% lower-middle class 30% working class 22% working poor 3% underclass major difference in classes is income, lifestyle, beliefs

The American Class System Section 2: The American Class System The American Class System Upper Class – attend prestigious universities; owners of large businesses, investors, heirs to family fortunes, top business executives; 1 percent of population Upper Middle Class – attend college or university, business executives, professionals; 14 percent of population Lower Middle Class – high school, some college; lower-level managers skilled craft workers, supervisors; 30 percent of population

The American Class System Section 2: The American Class System The American Class System Working Class – high school education; factory workers, clerical workers, lower level salespeople, some craft-workers; 30 percent of population Working Poor – some high school; laborers, service workers; 22 percent of population Underclass – some high school; undesirable, low-paying jobs, unemployed, on welfare; 3 percent of population

Section 2: The American Class System Americans believe that people who possess enough ability and motivation will rise to the top. Motivations include finances, status, prestige. Such values influence Americans to try to do better financially than their parents and to help their children do the same. These values and motivations keep the American system open and mobile.

Defining Social Mobility Social mobility is a person’s movement over time from one class to another. Social mobility can be up or down, although the American dream emphasizes upward movement. Mobility can also be either inter-generational, occurring between generations; or intra-generational, occurring within a generation.

Social Mobility Mobility is a collective effort that involves kin and sometimes community. Upward Mobility People who are upwardly mobile are often expected to distance themselves from their origins. Downward Mobility As income distribution is becoming more skewed toward the top, many in the middle class are experiencing mobility downward.

Poverty Among the Old and Young

Poverty in the U.S.

Who are the Poor? 34.6 million poor people in the U.S. The poor: 31% of Native Americans 24% of African Americans 22% of Hispanics 10% of Asians and Pacific Islanders 10% of Whites

Section 3: Poverty Age—Children have the largest percentage in poverty; 25% of Americans are under 18, but 35% of the poor are children; three times more African American and Hispanic children are poor than white children. Race and Ethnicity—African Americans and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as white Americans to be poor. Gender—Women are the largest segment (57%); female-headed households account for about half of all poor families; 34% of African American and Hispanic female-headed households are poor, as compared to only 20% of white female-headed households.

The effects of Poverty Poor Americans are at a serious disadvantage in health and life expectancy. Health – heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and pneumonia are highest amongst those living in poverty. Life expectancy – average number of years a person born is expected to live. Two reasons – inadequate nutrition and medical care

Patterns of Behavior Divorce rates are higher among low-income families. Poor Americans are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and sent to prison for crimes. Poor people are more likely to bet the victims of crime.

Explanations of Poverty Culture of poverty - poverty is a way of life that is transferred from generation to generation. Structural causes of poverty - poverty is caused by economic and social transformations taking place in the U.S.

Arguments Against “The Culture of Poverty” Fewer than 5% of the poor are chronically poor. 41% of the able-bodied poor work. The pattern of “welfare cycling” is promoted by wages too low to support a family.

Section 3: Poverty Government attempts to reduce inequality through various social-welfare programs using two approaches: Transfer Payments—redistribution of money among various segments of society; major programs include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Subsidies—transfer goods and services rather than cash; include the Food Stamp program, housing, school lunches, and Medicaid

Who are the Homeless? Battered women Elderly Disabled Mentally Ill (20-25%) Veterans AIDS victims

Who are the Homeless? A survey of 27 cities found that the homeless population is: 50% African American 35% White 12% Hispanic 2% Native American 1% Asian

Reasons for Homelessness Unemployment and/or eviction Reductions in federal support for affordable housing Eroding work opportunities Inadequate housing for low-income people

Reasons for Homelessness Inadequate health care Domestic violence Addiction