SOC 153 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Social Stratification, Structural Functionalism, Social Inequality

• School: Miami University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 153
• Professor: Harris Othello

Document Summary

Social inequality: unequal sharing of social rewards. Some people have more of the valued resources - power, wealth, and or prestige - than others. Structured inequality: differences are passed down from generation to generation. Those who inherit privileges will pass them to their offspring. Social stratification refers to the structured inequality of categories of people who have unequal access to social rewards depending on their status. It is the differential ranking of individuals who compose a given social system and their treatment as superior and inferior relative to one another in certain socially important respects. Unequal access to schooling depending on one"s status. Hierarchical position: some people have more or less. Those who believe social inequality is just; it occurs out of necessity. Equality of opportunity, stratification is a reflection of people"s work ethic and intelligence. Those who believe inequality is unjust; it is a consequence of power (egalitarians)