SOC-1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Low Birth Weight, Social Disorganization Theory, Gentrification
18 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Some categories of people have access to valued resources, some do not. These patterns reflect the consequences of social stratification. Hierarchically ranks categories of people in society. 2 types of stratification systems: caste system- ranking based on birth, social class system- ranking based on individual effort, ability, and talent, is a meritocracy in the us. Meritocracy- ranking based partly on birth and partly on individual efforts, abilities, and talent. Refers to differences that result in some people have more socially valued resources (or access to those resources) than others: income inequality, wealth inequality. Income refers to salary or wages from a job plus earnings from investments and other sources: paycheck, stocks and bonds, rental or investment property. Nearly half of the income of the nation belongs to the top 20 percent of families in the. Wealth refers to the value of all economic assets minus debts. Wealth is more unevenly distributed than income.
