Question of the Day

1
Question of the Day

• How many of you know what type of career you
  would like to go into? If so what is it.

2
Introduction

• What is the so called American Dream?
• Why do people want to come to the United States?
• Is the idea that the United States is the land of
  opportunity a myth?

3
Social Inequality or Stratification

• Social Stratification
• The division of society into classes based on
  unequal distribution of wealth, income, power,
  and prestige.
• Social Class A section of society which members
  hold similar amounts of scarce resources and
  values, norms, and identifiable lifestyle.

4
Introduction

• Research on poverty shows a population that is
  directly affected by discrimination based on
  race, ethnicity, gender, and age.
• The phrase feminization of poverty illustrates
  over-representation of women and children among
  those living below the poverty line.

5
Introduction

• Also over- represented are people of color,
  African Americans and Latinos.
• These numbers are explained by both the
  prejudicial attitudes and direct or institutional
  discriminatory behaviors.
• To many people, the socially constructed category
  gender equates to sex and use it to explain
  issues of class, discrimination and prejudice
  Boys Dont Cry
• Ageism is another issue of social inequality.

6

• The US Census declared that in 2008 13.2 of the
  general population lived in poverty8.6 of all
  non-Hispanic White11.8 of all
  Asian-American23.2 of all Hispanic (of any
  nationality)24.7 of all African-American.
• About half of those living in poverty are
  non-Hispanic white, but poverty rates are much
  higher for blacks and other minorities. 57 of
  all poor rural children are non-Hispanic white,
  compared with 28 of poor urban children.

7
Social Classes In America

• Americans are aware of inequality, but not class
  consciousness
• Sociologists identified several social classes in
  the United States.
• The Upper Class Investors, heirs, CEOs
• The Upper Middle Class Upper Level Managers,
  Professionals, Small business owners.
• The Middle Class Lower level managers, semi
  professionals, foremen, non retail salespeople,
  and clerks
• The Working Class Low skill manual laborers,
  clerical/secretaries, and retail sales.
• The Working Poor Lowest paid manual, retail,
  and service workers
• The Underclass Unemployed people, part time
  menial jobs, people on public assistance.

8
On Demand Writing

• Write a four paragraph response in which you
  locate yourself in the American stratification
  system. (Think about only)
• Explain why you believe you fit into this
  category. (Think about only)
• Also, include answers to the follow questions
• Are there some stratification categories where
  most of your friends and family fall? (write)
• What does this tell you about your social
  network? (Write)
• In what way can this information affect your
  career plans? (write)
• What will you do to achieve your goals and does
  your location in American society affect the way
  you will achieve these goals? (write)
• I will take volunteers to read their essay before
  turning it in.

9
Dimensions of Stratification

• Three dimensions of stratification.
• Economic
• Used mostly by Conflict theorists.
• Marx identified several social classes in
  industrial Europe, he however predicted that
• Eventually, capitalists societies will be divided
  into two basic groups, Bourgeoisie and
  Proletariat.
• Marx used the term False Consciousness to refer
  to the working class acceptance of the
  capitalists ideas and values.

10
Economic Dimension Contd

• Economic dimension is considered under two
  criteria/factors.
• Believed control of the economy gave capitalists
  control over legal, educational, and governmental
  systems.
• Income Amount of money received within a time
  period by individual or group, e.g. paycheck
• Wealth Total of a persons or groups assets
  including, income, investments, properties,
  interests, stocks, and life insurance.

11
The Power Dimension

• Max Weber added the power dimension to
  stratification.
• Money and Wealth are not the only resources used
  as a basis of power.
• Power is attached to the social position we hold.
• Power is the ability to control other peoples
  actions or behaviors.
• Wealth does not equate to power.

12
The Prestige Dimension

• Weber also added prestige as a dimension to
  stratification.
• Prestige is the recognition, respect, and
  admiration attached to a social position, e.g.
  doctor, President, etc.
• Prestige is defined by society and culture.
• It is voluntarily given, not claimed and must
  come from others.
• Positions that are valued the most by society
  have the highest prestige.
• Americans tend to assign prestige with higher
  positions of wealth and power, e.g. white-collar
  occupations v. blue collar occupations.

13
Prestige Ranking of Occupations
14
Explanations Of Stratification

• Each of the three perspectives explain
  stratification differently.
• Functionalist
• Recognizes that social inequality exists.
• Why? Because certain jobs are more important than
  others, i.e. require special talent and training.
• Assures that the most qualified fill most
  important positions.
• Encourages sacrifices necessary to fill certain
  jobs.
• Society attaches special monetary rewards and
  prestige to those positions, e.g. medical
  profession.

15
Conflict Theory Stratification

• Based on Marx idea about class conflict.
• Inequality exists because some people are willing
  to exploit others.
• History of the world is that of the struggle
  between the capitalists/powerful and the working
  poor/powerless.
• Capitalist society is the final stage of that
  struggle.
• According to Marx, though, capitalists are
  outnumbered, they use a belief system that
  legitimizes the way things are.
• This he called, False Consciousness working
  class acceptance of the capitalists ideas and
  values .

16
Symbolic Interactionism Stratification

• Helps understand how people are socialized to
  accept the existing structure of inequality.
• E. g. American children are taught that a
  persons social class is the result of talent and
  effort.
• Those on top have worked hard and used their
  abilities.
• Those at the bottom lack the talent and
  motivation to succeed, so it is unfair to
  challenge the social structure.

17
Understanding your place

• With poverty there are different perspectives.
• Absolute poverty- the absence of enough money to
  secure lifes necessities
• Relative poverty- a measure of poverty based on
  economic disparity between those at the bottom of
  a society and the rest of the society

18
Understanding your place

• Caste system- a stratification structure that
  does not allow for social mobility
• Open class system- a system in which social class
  is based on merit and individual effort, you can
  move social classes
• False consciousness- adoption of the ideas of
  the dominant class by the less powerful class.
• Class consciouness- identification with the goals
  and interests of a social class.

19
Understanding your place

• Social mobility- the movement of individuals or
  groups between social classes
• Horizontal mobility- a change in occupation
  within the same social class
• Vertical mobility- a change upward or downward in
  occupational status or social class.
• Intergenerational mobility- a change in status
  or class from one generation to the next.