Social Stratification

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In Mean Girls, how is Kady resocialized to fit
into an American high school? How realistic is
this compared to WRHS?
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Social Stratification
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Some things to think about..

• Is inequality inevitable?
• Is inequality desirable or undesirable for social
  progress in improving the quality of life for the
  vast majority of people?
• What determines the variability of inequality
  across the nations of the world?
• Is inequality, at least in terms of income and
  wealth, really a social problem?
• Can there be economic inequality and yet
  political equality? Can, for instance, capitalism
  coexist with democracy?
• In capitalist economies, who should provide the
  safety nets for those unable to compete, such as
  because of age or physical or mental disabilities?

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What is Social Stratification?

• Social Stratification the creation of layers of
  people who possess unequal shares of scarce
  resources.
• Resources
• Income
• Wealth
• Power
• Prestige
• Social Class a segment of a population whose
  members hold similar amounts of scarce resources
  and share values, norms, and an identifiable
  lifestyles.
• Ex
• Upper, Middle, Lower class
• The more developed and complex the society the
  more social classes.
• Americans have a very complex set up.

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Wealthy Small

• Income amount of money received within a given
  time period by an individual or group.
• Wealth all the economic resources possessed by
  an individual or group.
• Income is what you are paid wealth is what you
  actually own.
• In Us
• Richest 20 of populations holds 84 of wealth.
• Top 1 holds 39 of wealth alone.

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Power and Prestige

• Power ability to control the behavior of others,
  even against their will.
• Those who possess power are able to enhance their
  own interests but at the expense of society.
• Do you have to be wealthy to be powerful?????
• Most say no but certainly helps!
• Prestige recognition, respect, and admiration
  attached to social positions.
• Defined by culture and society.
• Prestige is earned not claimed
• Social positions that are considered the most
  important or valued the most highly have the most
  prestige.

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Social Classes

• Class Consciousness sense of identification with
  the goals and interests of the members of a
  particular social class.
• Most Americans do not hold a sense of class
  consciousness.
• Upper Class 1 of population
• Upper-Middle Class 14 of population
• Middle Class 30 of population
• Working Class (Lower-middle class) 1/3 of
  population 33
• Underclass 12 of population

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Theories and Perspectives on Stratification

• Functionalists
• Stratification assures that the most qualified
  people fill the most important positions,
  qualified people perform their tasks competently,
  and are rewarded for their efforts.
• They are aware of the inequalities based on
  stratification but feel they are necessary.
• Important because it ensures that all positions
  in society are filled and we can function
  properly.

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Conflict Theory

• Inequality exists because some people are willing
  to exploit others.
• Stratification is based on force.
• Relates back to Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto.
• Bourgeoisie vs. Proletariat
• Marxs term false consciousness refers to
  working-class acceptance of capitalist ideas and
  values.
• Americas legal and political system is skewed
  and manipulated by the powerful.

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Interactionism

• Helps us understand how people are socialized to
  accept the existing stratification structure.
• Those who are on top of the social scale have
  worked hard to get there and those on the bottom
  lack the talent.
• Not something to challenge legitimizes the
  process.
• This explains why people in the lower class tend
  to struggle with self- esteem.
• Thorstein Veblen
• On top of social hierarchy people typically
  convert their wealth in 2 ways
• Conspicuous consumption purchasing more
  automobiles than they can reasonable use and
  building houses with 17rooms when only 2 people
  live there.
• Conspicuous leisure jetting to a remote
  destination and staying only long enough to have
  dinner.