Anthropology

1
Anthropology Stratification

• SLS 260 Perspectives on the Social Order

2
Stratification

• Societies vary in access individuals have to
  prestige, power, and resources to sustain life
  (Nanda 285)
• Anthropologists identify 3 types of organization
• Egalitarian
• Rank
• Stratified

3
Egalitarian Societies

• No individual or group has more access to
  resources, power, or prestige than does any
  other (Nanda 285)
• Age and sex differences exist
• Individual differences exist
• Based on skill, talent
• Results in prestige
• Not transferable to heirs
• Never denied access to means of subsistence
• Never exploited/controlled by others

4
Egalitarian Societies

• Hunting gathering
• Factors preventing permanent unequal wealth
• No land ownership
• Low level technologyinhibits food storage
• Need mobilityinhibits accumulating goods
• Obligation to share food
• No formal leaders

5
Rank Societies

• Formal differences in prestige
• Access to basic resources not restricted
• Leadership inherited chief
• Prestige from redistributing resources with
  feasts, ceremonies
• Cannot accumulate vast resources
• Kin groups are ranked
• Based on genealogical connection to chief
• Birth order
• Membership in kin group entitles person to access
  to food

6
Rank Societies

• Inherit right to manage resources
• Such as fishing, hunting, gathering lands
• Passed on to oldest son usually
• Also inherit symbolic resources
• Names
• Perform ceremonial functions
• Wear particular clothing/jewelry
• Rights to best piece of meat, first catch, etc.

7
Rank Societies

• Horticultural and Pastoral
• Highest ranked group not exempt from producing
  food

8
Stratified Societies

• Formal, permanent economic/social inequality
• Dimensions
• Power
• Wealth
• Prestige
• Some denied access to basic resources

9
Stratified Societies

• Agricultural and industrial
• Stratification based on
• Ascribed statusesdetermined at birth
• Achieved statusesearned
• Forms of stratification
• Class system
• Caste system

10
Stratified Societies

• Class system
• Different classes with gradual separation
• Social mobility is possible
• Achieved statuses impact position
• Occupation
• Education
• Income
• A class is a subculture

11
Stratified Societies

• Caste system
• Based on ascribed statuses
• Member of parents caste
• No social mobility
• Endogamous
• Castes ranked
• Usually based on occupation
• Definite boundaries between castes
• Norms maintain social distance
• A caste is a subculture

12
Question

• What are the most significant things you have
  learned about stratification today?