Sociology Ch. 7

open system

a social system with ample opportunities to move from one class to another. ex the US

closed system

a social system with very little opportunity to move from one class to another. ex India's caste system

Meritocracy

a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit

Meritocracy

a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit. popular opinion & rhetoric espouse (adopt or support a cause, belief or way of life) the American Dream ideology or that the US is a _________

feudal system

a system of social stratification based on a hereditary nobility who were responsible for and served by a lower stratum of forced laborers called serfs

social class

a system of stratification based on access to such resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige. a system of stratification practiced primarily in capitalist societies, ranks ppl based on wealth, property, power, prestige. also referred to as socioeconomic status (SES). much less rigid than the caste system. kids tend to inherit the strata of their parents but can move up or down in strata during course of their life. isn't based on race, ethnicity, gender or age

social inequality

the unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society. thus affects a person's life experience so profoundly

Sweden

deliberately crafted a system that lessens social inequality. made easier by country's homogeneity of race, ethnicity, religion. provides it's citizens w/ more social services than US. govt guarantees citizens high level access to health care, education, child & elderly care, unemployment benefits, public facilities (libraries & parks). taxes are high (top rate of 60% for wealthiest). has increased life expectancy & literacy, decreased infant mortality, homelessness, poverty, crime

Oligarchy

political rule by a small group of ppl, usually members of a wealthy or otherwise dominant class. rule by the wealthy few.

working poor

poorly educated manual and service workers who may work full-time but remain near or below the poverty line; they constitute about 13 percent of the U.S. population. generally not well educated, didn't complete high school, experience lower levels of literacy, lack other work skills valuable in job market. typical occupations: unskilled, temporary, seasonal jobs, minimum wage jobs, housekeeping, day labor, migrant agricultural work. avg income $25,000. suffers from higher rates of unemployment & underemployment, some receive social welfare subsidies

similar

ppl are likely to marry or have long term relationships w/ pol whose social & cultural backgrounds are ______ to their own, not b/c they are looking for such similarities but b/c they have more access to ppl like themselves

South Africa

ppl in this region of Africa were legally classified into 4 racial groups: white (English & Dutch), Indian (from India), colored (mixed race), black. Blacks formed a large majority (60%). these groups were geographically & socially separated from one another. Blacks were forcefully removed from almost 80% of the country, which was reserved for the 3 minority groups & relocated to independent "homelands" similar to Natve American reservations n the US. they couldn't enter other parts of country w/out a pass. African Americans visiting the country were given "honorary white" status & could move freely w/in country. social services for whites & non whites were separate: schools, hospitals, buses, libraries, theaters, graveyards, public restrooms. Indian & "coloreds" were discriminated against but had slightly more privileged lives. whites held all political, economic, social power despite being a minority. the wealthiest 10% earn 60% of the nation's total income, composed almost exclusively of whites (group that makes up just under 9% of population. on avg white are paid 6xs more than blacks. whites own 70% of the land. new patterns of class stratification are replacing rather than erasing old patterns

federal minimum wage

the lowest hourly amount an employer is required to pay workers- is considered a fundamental measure to protect workers from exploitation. pay sufficient for basic survival ($7.25) some states may mandate higher minimum wages & many do)

racism cordial

"polite racism". the way critics refer to the stratification system of Brazil b/c of the mix of races, cultures & biracial marriages. intermarriage eliminated clearly defined racial groups hit skin color still defines ppl's place in Brazilian society. light skinned Brazilians enjoy privileges of wealth & power that is denied to dark skinned counterparts

4 basic principles of social stratification

1. it is a characteristic of a society, rather than a reflection of individual preferences 2. it persists over generations 3. societies us different criteria for ranking members 4. maintained through cultural beliefs

4 basic principles of social stratification

1. it is a characteristic of a society, rather than a reflection of individual preferences. ex in Japan, men rank higher on social hierarchy, this doesn't mean a particular woman such as a singer/actress couldn't attain a higher status than a particular man, it means in Japan as a whole, men rank higher 2. it persists over generations. why wealthy families remain wealthy from one generation to the next. ex in Britain, a child inherits not just physical characteristics such as race but other indicators of class standing such as regional accent. 3. societies us different criteria for ranking members. ex criterion in industrialized nations is material wealth, in hunter-gather societies such as the Khoisan Bushmen of Africa, it is gender 4. maintained through cultural beliefs. ex in the US it is common to think ppl are poor not only b/c of existing class structure but also b/c they have failed to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps"

slavery, caste, social class

3 major systems of stratification

skin color

Brazil has a system of stratification based on

working poor

Contrary to popular myth, most people living in poverty are not unemployed; this is why they are often categorized as among the _____ ______

interrelated

For Weber, wealth, power, and prestige are _______ because they often come together, but it is also possible to convert one to the other. ex. Kardashians' father was a wealthy attorney & inherited his parents' meat packing fortune. They did little themselves to gain their prestige besides being born into wealth & participating in reality TV. property & wealth can be inherited or earned, power usually comes from occupying certain roles w/in organizations & prestige is based on a person's social identity & bestowed by others

religion; Muslim vs non-Muslim

Iran has a stratification system based on ________. what religions?

Iran

Islamic Revolution in 1979 transformed this country from constitutional monarchy to theocracy. before political & economic power was concentrated in upper class (landowners, industrialists, business execs). middle class (entrepreneurs, small business owners, merchants, civil service members). economic mobility was possible if you had secular (no religious or spiritual basis) values (believed in separation of church & state) & Western education from US or Europe. After the Revolution religion became primary influence on stratification. civil service members who were not Muslim or had Western university degrees were exiled. those who remained had to attend Islamic law classes to keep their positions. strict observance of Islamic law & custom is a prerequisite for maintaining your social position. many new political elites are religious leaders

freegans

One of the most radical extensions of the simplicity movement. term that merges "free" with "vegan". people who avoid consumerism and who engage in strategies to support themselves without participating in a conventional economic system. This can mean scavenging for usable food, clothing, and other goods, sometimes called "urban foraging" or "dumpster diving," along with sharing housing and transportation with others in order to work less and minimize their impact on the planet.

economic

Sweden tries to minimize ______ inequality w/ govt support programs for all

True

T or F. Belonging to a certain social class brings such profound consequences that it's possible to make general predictions about a person's life chances in regard to education, work, crime, family, and health just by knowing his or her SES.

true

T or F. social class plays a role in the age at which ppl marry, age at which ppl start a family & # of children they have are also related to educational attainment

true

T or F. there are many mechanisms in place, such as tax laws & social policies that allow those at the top of the social ladder to protect their assets & pass them down to the next generation, making it difficult for middle & lower classes to improve their positions

relative deprivation

a relative measure of poverty based on the standard of living in a particular society. a comparative measure. people are considered impoverished if their standard of living is lower than that of other members of society—for example, a retail clerk who works part-time for minimum wage might be considered among the working poor compared with a neurosurgeon whose salary places her comfortably in the upper-middle class.

locations; reinforce

_______ of group interactions tend to ________ class divisions in larger society.

Intersectionality

a concept that identifies how different categories of inequality (race, class, gender, etc.) intersect to shape the lives of individuals and groups. a concept that acknowledges that multiple dimensions of status & inequality intersect to shape who we are & how we live. our life chances are influenced by our class AND our race AND gender AND religion AND age (& multiple other cetegories), all together, not at one time

white collar

a description characterizing lower-level professional and management workers and some highly skilled laborers in technical jobs

blue collar

a description characterizing skilled and semi-skilled workers who perform manual labor or work in service or clerical jobs

Caste System

a form of social stratification in which status is determined by one's family history & background & cannot be changed. based on heredity, whole groups of people are born into a certain strata. may be differentiated along religious, economic, or political lines, as well as by skin color or other physical characteristics. creates a highly stratified society where there is little or no chance of a person changing her position within the hierarchy, no matter what she may achieve individually. Members must marry within their own group, and their caste ranking is passed on to their children. members of higher-ranking castes tend to be more prosperous. members of lower-ranking castes tend to have fewer material resources, live in abject poverty, & suffer discrimation

simplicity movement

a loosely knit movement that opposes consumerism & encourages ppl to work less, earn less & spend less, in accordance w/ nonmaterialistic values. rejects rampant consumerism and seeks to reverse some of its consequences for the individual, for society, and for the planet.

socioeconomic status (SES)

a measure of an individual's place within a social class system; often used interchangeably with "class". keeps in mind the social as well as economic basis of social class stratification

wealth

a measure of net worth that includes income, property, and other assets

status inconsistency

a situation in which an individual holds differing levels of status in terms of wealth, power, prestige, or other elements of socioeconomic status. stark contrasts b/w the levels of various statuses person occupies

working class

aka lower middle class. social class consisting of mostly blue collar or service industry workers who are less likely to have college degrees. constitute about 30% of US population. typically only high school education, work in manual labor, have routine jobs & employees have little control in workplace. earn about $40,000/yr. those who belong to a union (small portion) may earn above average incomes for this class. typically have low net worth, live in rental housing or modest homes they have inherited or long saved for.

upper class

an elite and largely self-sustaining group who possess most of the country's wealth; they constitute about 1 percent of the U.S. population. total net worth is greater than that of the entire 99%. ppl who have "old money" through family fortunes, have generated "new money" through their own/ individual achievements. many maintain this status not through income from a job but by investing enormous sums of money & taking advantage of huge tax deductions offered to those w/ investment based fortunes. members make around $2 mil/yr, often highly educated & influential. attend private schools & have distinct lifestyle. have positions of power in govt or philanthropy. class that is largely self-sustaining, most members remain stable & few new ones are able to gain membership in its ranks

absolute deprivation

an objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care. ex In the African country of Swaziland more than 28 percent of adults are living with HIV/AIDS. Many lack access to health care, exacerbating the HIV epidemic and making this country among the lowest in terms of life expectancy, averaging less than fifty-three years. Hunger, malnutrition, and the inability to afford medications are some of the basic indicators of ________ poverty.

just-world hypothesis

argues that people have a deep need to see the world as orderly, predictable, and fair (in order to achieve our goals in life) which creates a tendency to view victims of social injustice as deserving of their fates. when we encounter situations that contradict this belief, we either act quickly to restore justice & order or persuade ourselves that no injustice has occurred. this results in assuming victims have "asked for it" or deserve w/ever has befallen them

everyday class consciousness

awareness of one's own social status and that of others. we "read" diff aspects of identity by interpreting behavior of others & we become accustomed to others "reading" our behavior in the same way. our clothing, speech, gestures, cars, homes, ppl we hang out w/ & things we do on vacation are all part of our presentation of self & provide info that others use to make judgements about our SES. in turn, we look for the same clues in behavior of others

True

belonging to a certain social class brings such profound consequences that it's possible to make general predictions about a person's life chances in regard to education, work, crime, family, health just by knowing his/her SES (socioeconomic status)

structural mobility

changes in the social status of large numbers of people as a result of structural changes in society. occurs when large #s of ppl move up or down the social ladder b/c of structural changes in society as a whole, particularly when the economy is affected by large scale events, ex Great Depression & dot-com boom

Structural Functionalism

emphasizes social order & solidarity based on commonly shared values about what is good & worthwhile. the system of stratification that has emerged over time is functional for society in a # of ways: b/c there is a variety of roles to perform for maintenance & good of the whole, there must be incentives to ensure ppl will occupy those roles that are most necessary or important. ex physicians are the highest ranking of occupational prestige. Dr.s provide highly prized services to ppl. there is extensive education & graduate training & they complete long & intensive internship before being certified. they devote great deal of personal resources of time & money to this process. there are few ppl who have the talent & determination to become Dr.s so there must be incentives/rewards for them. this type of theory/perspective helps explain the persistence of our existing system of social stratification

culture of poverty

entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot. thought promoted by Lewis after he studied poor Hispanics in Mexico and the United States. suggested the poor, because they were excluded from the mainstream, developed a way of life that was qualitatively different from that of middle-class groups that allowed them to cope with the dire circumstance of poverty. This way of life includes attitudes of resignation and fatalism, which lead them to accept their fate rather than trying to improve their lot. It also emphasizes immediate gratification, making it difficult for impoverished people to plan or save for the future or to join trade unions or community groups that might help them improve their situation. Once such a culture is formed, it takes on a life of its own and is passed on from parents to children, leaving them ill-equipped to change. this thought has been met with considerable controversy b/c it suggests there is little point in trying to eradicate poverty b/c it's more a problem of culture (attitudes, lifestyle, behavior) than of economics. by focusing on individual character & personality, the theory tends to blame victims of poverty for their misfortunes while overlooking the force of their social conditions

Redlining

exacerbates residential segregation. practice by which banks & mortgage lenders identify high risk areas (usually low income or minority neighborhoods) & refuse mortgages to applicants from those neighborhoods or offer loans at prohibitively high rates. it keeps low income ppl from acquiring assets such as real estate that might allow them to rise out of poverty & move into affluent neighborhoods. it is illegal

Federal Poverty Line

federal index that defies "official" poverty in the US based on household income, updated annually. an absolute measure, calculated annually. indicates the total annual income below which a family would be impoverished. families making much more than amounts above this line although not officially qualifying as below the poverty line, might still be unable to afford some basic necessities. has often been criticized because of the way it is uniformly applied without regard to regional or other differences.

Homogamy

like marries like. the tendency to choose romantic partners who are similar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion & other social group membership. is more strictly enforced in upper-class families than in other social classes. Those who enjoy the privileges of wealth often want to make sure those privileges continue into the next generation and may monitor their children's activities by sending them to prestigious schools & posh summer camps so they don't get the opportunity to meet anyone but other privileged kids, helping to ensure wealth & power remain consolidated w/in a small community

Hypogamy

marrying "down" in the social class hierarchy. men usually marry down when class boundaries are crossed

Hypergamy

marrying "up" in the social class hierarchy. women usually marry up when class boundaries are crossed

intergenerational mobility

movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next. when a child eventually moves into a diff social class from that of her parents. ex Baby Boomers, as a whole they amassed more wealth during the course of their lives & consequently moved up the social class ladder. since the baby boomers mobility up the social ladder has stalled since the 1980s, in the past 40-50yrs it has gotten much harder to do. young adults today are significantly less likely than past generations of young adults to earn more than their parents

middle class

social class composed primarily of white collar workers with a broad range of education and incomes; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population. some social analysts believe that the middle class is shrinking as a result of a variety of phenomena, including economic recession, high unemployment, corporate downsizing, and outsourcing of work to foreign countries. Many people who would have once been considered _____ _______ have moved down lower middle class, while others have moved up to upper middle class. white collar workers, skilled laborers in technical & lower management jobs, small entrepreneurs, earn $70,000/yr. high school education & 2-4yr degree. not all can afford their own homes anymore b/c of recession, banking & mortgage crises, cost of housing & other debts

upper middle class

social class consisting of mostly highly educated professionals and managers who have considerable financial stability; they constitute about 14 percent of the U.S. population. well educated (college or postgraduate degrees) & highly skilled. work primarily in executive, managerial, and professional jobs. may enjoy modest support from investments but generally depend on income from salaried work, making around $150,000 per year, some financial stability. own their homes. value activities like travel and higher education.

false consciousness

term sued by Marx, the inability to see the ways in which we may be oppressed.

social stratification

the division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy. in one form or another is present in all societies. members may be grouped according to gender, race, class, age or other characteristics, depending on w/e criteria are important to that society. some are ranked higher in the social strata (levels) & others fall into lower ranks. higher groups enjoy more access to rewards & resources w/in that society, leaving lower-level groups w/ less

residential segregation

the geographical separation/isolation of the poor/impoverished from the rest of an area's population/city, or in the case of rural areas- any neighbors at all. such segregation often occurs along racial as well as socioeconomic lines, further exacerbating class divisions. _____ ______ is accomplished most notably through public housing projects which are typically high density, low income apartment complexes in urban areas, funded & managed by the Depsrtment of Housing & Urban Development

living wage

the minimum income necessary for a decent standard of living. most consider it the minimum income to obtain food, clothing, shelter, utilities, transportation, health care, education, savings for retirement. might vary depending on the community & its cost of living, can run from 50-150% higher than minimum wage ($11-18) if we use federal minimum wage as starting point

Slavery

the most extreme form of social stratification, based on the legal ownership of people. relegates people to the status of property, mainly for the purpose of providing labor for the slave owner. they are bought and sold like any other commodity, aren't paid for their labor, are forced to work under mental or physical threat, have none of the rights common to free members of the same societies in which they live. Occupying the lowest rank in the social hierarchy,

vertical social mobility; horizontal

the movement between different class statuses, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility. ex a therapist who shifts careers so he can teach college marries a president of a large corporation, he would experience upward mobility. if he or his wife become unemployed he would experience downward mobility. ppl are more likely to experience ______ social mobility than vertical social mobility

intragenerational mobility

the movement between social classes that occurs during the course of an individual's lifetime. the measure b/w social class a person is born into & the social class status they achieve during their lifetime. can be measured in 2 directions: horizontal & vertical social mobility

horizontal social mobility

the movement of individuals or groups within a particular social class, most often a result of changing occupations. is fairly common, refers to changing of jobs w/in a social class. ex a therapist who shifts careers so he can teach college

Underclass

the poorest group, comprising the homeless and chronically unemployed who may depend on public or private assistance; they constitute about 12 percent of the U.S. population. categorized as truly disadvantaged. live in poverty conditions, earn $15,000 or less/yr. have chronic difficulty getting enough money to support basic needs. may hold few steady jobs, depend on public benefits or charity. often found in inner cities in substandard housing or are homeless. #s are increasing in suburbs. part of group considered impoverished by federal govt standards

Disenfranchisement

the removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means. ppl living in poverty may also remain invisible to the larger society b/c of their lack of political power. a correlate of poverty: the impoverished are less likely to vote or otherwise participate in political life

prestige

the social honor people are given because of their membership in well-regarded social groups. sources of prestige: occupation (is common. physicians near top & janitors at bottom), athletes higher than sociologists. traditional or social circles that have history of aristocracy, a distinction is made between "old money" and "new money." In the US t is more prestigious to come from a family heritage of wealth than to have recently made a fortune.

Apartheid

the system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991. means "apartness" in Afrikaans & Dutch. the consequence of this was to create great disparity (a great diff) among those in the diff strata of society

cultural capital

the tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and other cultural assets that help us gain advantages in society. ex having highly educated parents who can help w/ homework & enforce useful study habits makes it more likely a child will succeed in school. also shapes the perceptions others form about a person. ex in job interviews the candidates who can best impress a potential employer w/ their social skills may be chosen over other candidates who may be equally qualified but less adept socially

social reproduction

the tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as class status is passed down from one generation to the next. this happens as a result of each generation's acquisition of what Bourdieu calls cultural capital: kids inherit habits, tastes, expectations from their parents, & this cultural capital either helps or hinders them as they become adults. ex since better educated parents tend to come from middle & upper classes, their kids will also have better chances to attain that same status

Heterogamy

the tendency to choose romantic partners who are dissimilar in terms of class, race, education, religion, & other social group membership

digital divide

the unequal access to computer and internet technology, both globally and within the United States. the hierarchies of inequality in the larger society such as socioeconomic status, race, age & educational attainment all shape one's access to technology. ex 88% of all adults in the US use the internet regularly but there are differences in access among various demographic groups

Weber

thought owning the means of production was not the only way of achieving upper-class status; a person could also accumulate wealth consisting of income and property. suggested that power (the ability to impose one's will on others) should be considered as part of the equation when measuring a person's class standing. Although they may not own their corporations, executives can exert influence over the marketplace, consumers, and the work lives of their employees. And they can use their wealth to support various causes and campaigns. ex. Microsoft and Facebook are both publicly traded companies on the stock market, which means that they are owned by thousands of individual shareholders who benefit when the company turns a profit.

wealth gap

unequal distribution of assets among residents across the population. is growing domestically & globally. the very rich are getting richer & everyone else, no matter how hard they work, is either getting poorer or struggling to stay even

India

what country is most closely associated w/ the caste system. based there in the Hindu (majority) religion. caste system ranks ppl into 5 categories: Brahman (scholars & priests), ksatriya or chhetri (rulers & warriors), vaisya (merchants & traders), sudra (farmers, artisans, laborers), untouchables (social outcasts). caste system is a reflection of karma, the complex moral law of cause & effect that governs the universe. membership in a particular caste is seen as well-deserved reward or punishment for virtuous or sinful behavior in a past life so caste is considered a spiritual rather than material status