Sociology: Stratification and Inequality

Stratification and Inequality

• Stratification is the ranking of entire groups of people based on unequal rewards, power, and life chances.
• Life chances are opportunities for individuals to gain material goods, positive living conditions, and favorable life experiences.
• Inequality is the unequal distribution of power which creates different amounts of wealth, prestige, and power in society.
• Inequality exists in all societies.
• Stratification perpetuates inequality.

Types of Power

• Power is the ability to influence others' actions despite opposition.
• Weber identified three types of power:
  • Force (physical coercion).
  • Influence (persuasion).
  • Authority (institutionalized power recognized by those it is held over).

Authority

• Authority is power recognized and accepted as legitimate.
• Three types of authority:
  • Traditional authority: power based on custom and tradition. No concern for the individual's abilities or capacity.
  • Legal-rational authority: power based on rules and regulations. The position holds the power; people are selected for qualification.
  • Charismatic authority: power based on a leader's personal appeal and followers' recognition of exceptional qualities.

Minority/Underrepresented Groups

• Minority/underrepresented groups are subordinate groups with less power and control over their lives compared to the dominant group.
• A group's designation as a minority is based on power, not on numerical size.
• Ascribed status is a position assigned by society regardless of individual characteristics or abilities.
• Individuals have little control over their ascribed status.

Stratifying Variables (Ascribed)

• Race: groups set apart due to physical differences.
• Ethnicity: groups set apart due to national origin or cultural patterns.
• Class: status based on economic success and wealth.
• Gender: societal norms and expectations associated with masculinity and femininity.
• Sexual orientation: enduring patterns of attraction.
• Ableness: physical abilities or impairments.

Intersectionality

• Intersectionality (Crenshaw 1989) emphasizes that forms of inequality (racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, etc) are interconnected and cannot be studied separately.
• The Matrix of Domination (Hill-Collins 1991) describes how overlapping factors, like race, class, gender, and sexual identities, shape individual experiences of inequality. The resulting experience of inequality is complex.

Privilege

• Privilege refers to structural advantages given to individuals based on group membership.
• People with privilege often are unaware of their privilege.
• Privilege can be seen as an "invisible knapsack of unearned assets."

Prejudice and Discrimination

• Prejudice is a negative feeling toward an entire group of people, often based on preconceived notions.
• Discrimination is the process of denying rights and opportunities to groups of people based on prejudice or other factors.

Symbolic Prejudice

• Symbolic prejudice (modern prejudice) is subtle and indirect negative attitudes toward minority groups.
• This type of prejudice may exist even in cultures that do not outwardly endorse prejudice or discrimination.
• Microaggressions are subtle, unintentional, and/or indirect expressions of prejudice toward marginalized groups.

Contact Hypothesis

• The contact hypothesis suggests that contact between groups can reduce prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination if people are of equal status, in a non-competitive atmosphere, and have intensive interactions.

Institutionalized Discrimination

• Institutionalized discrimination refers to discriminatory practices that are ingrained in a society's structures.
• Such practices are routinely perceived as normal and necessary.

GI Bill (Brodkin 1998)

• The Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill, aimed at providing benefits and opportunities to returning WWII veterans.
• Benefits included low-cost mortgages, loans for business or farming, unemployment compensation, job placement assistance, and tuition for education.
• African Americans often faced discrimination when using GI benefits, and limited in opportunities. Post-war, many were placed in less desirable positions or were denied access to programs and housing.

Aftermath of the GI Bill

• Fewer African Americans achieved middle-class status, largely due to discrimination in housing and employment.
• The difficulties these individuals faced contributed to the accumulation of wealth inequality.
• Limited access to education and housing opportunities hindered upward mobility for African Americans.

Wealth vs. Income

• Wealth is the total value of assets owned minus debts.
• Income is earnings from wages, dividends, interest, or property rent.
• Wealth inequality is stark, with a significant portion controlled by a small percentage of top earners; the top 1% or 10%. The bottom 90% of earners have little wealth.

Race/Ethnicity and Poverty

• Racial and ethnic minorities often experience disproportionately high rates of poverty compared to the dominant or majority groups.
• Significant wealth gap, with minority groups having a significantly lower net worth compared to white families.
• Institutionalized discrimination reinforces the cycle of poverty for minority groups.

Wage Gap

• Women's average pay is often lower than men's for comparable work.
• Factors like occupations, hours worked, and experience in the workforce may contribute to the gap, over a career, women have lower wealth than men.
• Women of color are disproportionately affected by this gender wage gap.
• The gender gap over a career leads to higher poverty rates for females.

Second Shift

• Women typically take on additional unpaid work (like housework, childcare) beyond paid employment, which is often viewed as second-shift work

Stereotype Commercial, Microaggressions and Resources

• These are examples of prejudice in action, and available for further research.

Feminism

• Feminism is a modern theoretical perspective that combines elements of power-based theories and micro-theories, recognizing that men and women experience the world differently primarily due to socialization differences.
• Feminism, especially intersectional feminism, considers the various social experiences of women based on race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and other factors. The experiences are often different, due to different social structures in society.

This quiz explores the concepts of stratification and inequality in society, focusing on the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities. Additionally, it covers different types of power and authority as outlined by Weber. Test your understanding of these fundamental sociological principles.