Social Stratification Essay, Research Paper
3. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION and System Change
-Starting point of Modernity (from ideological point of view):
French Revolution’s Slogans: Libert?(Freedom), Egalit?(Equality), Fraternit? (Brotherhood)
1. freedom of the individuals; main institution: the MARKET (economics)
2. equality of LIFE CHANCES, or more skeptical interpretation:
- aim: to decrease the inequalities of life chances
3. tolerance and acceptance between different cultures, nations, ethnicities
- SOCIAL (and Economic) INEQUALITIES in the center of STRATIFICATION approaches
- Social Stratification: the division of a population into UNEQUAL LAYERS or STRATA based on income, wealth, gender, ethnicity, power, status, religion, age or some other characteristics.
-SLAVERY system: the individuals, who are considered as SLAVES do not possess a personal physical freedom – e.g.: Antic Rome – subjugation of “inferior” barbar tribes, blacks in the United States, (first half of the 19th century)
-CASTE SYSTEM: ascribed social statuses (social status at BIRTH) provide the principal bases of unequal distribution of social resources
e.g. India: Brahmin (fathers:priests, 2%), Kshatriya (warriors, 1%), Vaisya (traders, 7%), Sudra (artisans, 70%) and Untouchables (20%)
- it is a CLOSED system: people have great difficulty in changing status
-CLASS SYSTEM: an open system, where people can change status, in which ACHIEVED status provide the principal basis for the unequal distribution of social resources
-Social CLASSES (based on ECONOMIC characteristics, such as wealth and income)
1. MARXist approach: CONFLICT between two classes, e.g. in the capitalist “mode of production”: BOURGEOISIE (capitalists, owners of productive wealth) against PROLETARIAT (landless wage workers)
2. WEBERian approach: in capitalist societies inequalities can be associated with the MARKET; market capacity determines LIFE CHANCES
- class+ STATUS (the relative PRESTIGE of a person’s social standing)+ power
- aim: EMPIRICAL description of a society (MERTON vs. Parsons)
Merton: middle-range theories; link theories to empirical testing
Parsons: “grand theory”; purely theoretical construct of AGIL-scheme
- empirical examples for stratification in contemporary societies
1. the poor 2. working class (unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled manual workers) 3. middle class (e.g. white collars) 4. upper class (ELITE: who can influence the most important DECISIONS in a field)
- STATUS:a composite index of several social characteristics (e.g.: income, occupation, education, place of living, life style, ethnicity, gender etc.) which create social layers (strata)
- STATUS INCONSISTENCY: different characteristics seem to contradict
(e.g.: a top manager of a MNCs, living in a small village, having only a primary level of education etc.)
- Incongruence: your occupational POSITION does not fit to your level of education (e.g. ELITE in early stage of State Socialism)
- a contemporary theory of social stratification: theory of capitals
BOURDIEU 1. economic (material): wealth, income 2. cultural (human): embodied (education) and symbolic (life style, cultural patterns) 3. social (friends, kinship networks e.g to get INFORMATION, getting a JOB, to have material or emotional SUPPORT in case of problems)
- Examples for MEASUREMENT
- Meritocracy: your position based on your KNOWLEDGE (often identified by your level of education), your WORK PERFORMANCE
- Reproduction of inequalities? In contemporary societies by the institutions of the EDUCATION (a possible conversion of the different forms of capitals: e.g. if you pay more, you can get into better schools)
- MOBILITY: change in socio-economic status
(e.g from an unskilled worker to a top manager at an MNCs)
- intragenerational (inside one life history, e.g. as a 20-years-old unskilled worker vs. a 45-years-old top manager) and intergenerational (from one generation to the other; compared to your father and/or mother) mobility
-upward and downward mobility
- Relative deprivation: your relative position has become worth compared to other social strata (e.g. Roma people in Hungary during state socialism: their absolute position improved, but the distance between them and the other part of the society grew)
- Example: SYSTEM CHANGE and Stratification in Hungary after 1989
- transition or transformation? (a long theoretical debate)
- Bartha’s interpretation (personal view):
TRANSITION: in the level of the AIMS/goals: e.g. from state-socialism to a free-market capitalism
TRANSFORMATION: in the level of TECHNICS, the choosen economic policies (PATH-dependence); e.g. PRIVATISATION: how? in Hungary: centralized tendering vs. Czech Republic: voucher-privatisation
- the INNER STRATIFICATION of the ECONOMIC ELITE during the transformation (transition) period
- ELITE: those people who are able to inleunce the most important DECISION-MAKING processes in the economic, cultural or political sphere (respectively: economic, cultural or political elite); the members of the elite are NOT necessarily neither the “richest” ones, nore the “most famous” ones
- empirical description of the elite:
1. reputational sample (e.g.: different “ART schools”)
2. institutional (positional) sample
- e.g. economic elite in Hungary during the 90’s
segments: large industrial corporations (among them: MNCs), banks+ other financial institutions (insurance and broker companies), economic ministries, Parliament’s economic committees
- positions: at least a “head of department”
- the privilegised segment: financial segment + MNCs
- younger people, more women, predominance of economic education (vs. engineering /industrial corp./ or law /Parliament/), more refined life style (higher cultural consumption; close to that of that cultural elite!)
- the level of ELITE REPRODUCTION is relatively high (the change of the elite members is relatively low) compared to the other post-communist elites (Poland, Czech Republic) WHY?
- 1. power conversion theory (Hankiss): successful conversion of the former nomenklatura’s /party leaders/ political power to economic power
MEASUREMENT:
- indicator 1: leading HSWP-(MSZMP-)party position in the 80’s
- indicator 2: new economic elite position
-2. techocratic continuity theory (Szalai): in Hungary the elite change has started in the 80’s – most of the former elite’s members had still an appropriate level of education before 1989, they could conserve their position thanks to their expertism, “technocratic” professional knowledge
MEASUREMENT:
- indicator 1: level of incongruence before 1989
- indicator 2: level of incongruence in the 90’s
Result of the empirical testing: rather the hypothesis of technocratic continuity can be maintained
Другие работы по теме:
Eugenics Essay Research Paper In the 1920s
Eugenics Essay, Research Paper In the 1920?s there was a movement, called the melting pot, to solve the social problems of the time with the use of technology. Eugenics is the use of science to solve social problems. A major leader in eugenics at the turn of the century was a man named Davenport. Kallikak studied eugenics too.
Phobias Essay Research Paper Do you ever
Phobias Essay, Research Paper Do you ever fear objects, public places, or embarrassment? If so, you may have a certain type of phobia. A phobia is an intense and persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity. Three major types of phobias that psychiatrists recognize are simple phobia, agoraphobia, and social phobia.
Social Ills Essay Research Paper Every society
Social Ills Essay, Research Paper Every society of every civilization known to man has had its share of social ills. Even dating back to biblical times people have struggled with an ever-increasing number of hardships. All of which have led to the downfall of its social structure. As we all know, nothing lasts forever, but with the help of strong minds and able bodies, societies can curb their ills and ?clean up their act?.
Social Stratification Essay Research Paper In Manifesto
Social Stratification Essay, Research Paper In Manifesto of the Communist Party by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, both authors believe that society had rapidly splitting into only two classes: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat as result of a long historical process and social revolutionary of machineries and large scale productions.
Social Mobility Essay Research Paper Social Mobility
Social Mobility Essay, Research Paper Social Mobility: A Case Study In a world where it is hard to get ahead, some people do manage to do it. Most of us spend our lives within our strata in the stratifications system because it is very difficult to move up in the world, as we know it today. While it is quite easy to move down a strata it can also require some effort to just maintain a strata.
Social Security 2 Essay Research Paper Social
Social Security 2 Essay, Research Paper Social security is very essential for most of today s older Americans. Since it was begun, it has been a sort of protection for retired workers, and for disabled workers. Social Security allows people to live independently and still have their dignity. There are about 150 million workers protected by Social security and more then 44 million people receive Social Security benefits.
Sociology Essay Research Paper II Sociology
Sociology Essay, Research Paper II) Sociology is the study of social behavior, which means it describes and explains society, or the rules of the group. Social behavior is any behavior that has been, or is being, conditions to any degree by interaction with others. When you read this definition you begin to understand the complexity of sociology.
Social Conflict Theories Essay Research Paper Conflict
Social Conflict Theories Essay, Research Paper Conflict Theory and Functionalism There are three main theories of sociology; functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. This paper will focus on two of those theories, functionalism and conflict theory. The objective is to delineate the assumptions of two out of the three theoretical perspectives and apply these assumptions to an analysis of social stratification.
Social Stratificationrace Essay Research Paper Reaction Paper
Social Stratification:race Essay, Research Paper Reaction Paper on Social Stratification Article: Halberstam, David. “The Myths and Realities of Blacks in Professional Basketball.” Sport in Contemporary: An Anthology. Edited by D. Stanley Eitzen. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989, 315-323.
Archeo Essay Research Paper A Cross Cultural
Archeo Essay, Research Paper A Cross Cultural Perspective of Polygyny As an institution, polygyny, the social arrangement that permits a man to have more than one wife at the same
If I Made A Social Movement
… Essay, Research Paper SOCIAL MOVEMENT The type of social movement I would organize would be abolition of money and the return of bartering. It would erase 90% of world hunger, greed, and homicide.
Social Inequality Essay Research Paper As we
Social Inequality Essay, Research Paper As we prosper through time, inequality is slowly less evident. A lot of people don’t realize that although things are improving with time, inequality is still prominent in our society. The people that are failing to realize that there still is inequality, are the fortunate ones.
Social Work Essay Research Paper Social Workers
Social Work Essay, Research Paper Social Workers in the United States have many roles and needs to fill in society. They are seen as the people that nurse the homeless, unemployed, hunger-stricken, and destitute back to life. It is their choice to help those more unfortunate than themselves, and although it is considered a “job”, it is really a way of life.
Social Security Essay Research Paper Social securityThe
Social Security Essay, Research Paper Social security The issue I am addressing today is what to do about social security. There is going to be a large problem with our social security in years to come. Both Al Gore and Bush
Deviance Essay Research Paper Theories of Deviant
Deviance Essay, Research Paper Theories of Deviant Behavior examines various theories and perspectives on conforming and deviant behavior which are products of Western scholarly thought: anomie, functionalism, social disorganization, social conflict, social control, psychoanalysis, status politics, differential association, labeling theory, etc.
Assuming No Pollution Explain Why A Road
Is Only An Example Of Market Failure When It Is Congested. Essay, Research Paper Assuming no pollution, explain why a road is only an example of market failure when it is congested.
SOCIAL PROBLEMS Essay Research Paper SOCIAL PROBLEMSJOURNALFall
SOCIAL PROBLEMS Essay, Research Paper SOCIAL PROBLEMS JOURNAL Fall 1998 Professor Milton Social Problems Personal Essay 8/27/98 Over 21 years ago I was born in a little town in Iowa. Because of my dad??s work we moved to Illinois. It was there where I spent most of my childhood years, with my dad, mom, two brothers and two sisters.
StructuralFunctionalist And Social Conflict Essay Research Paper
The study of social stratification is the study of class, caste, privilege, and status that is a characteristic of a particular society. It often varies according to how society is organized especially in terms of production and work. The definition of ?social stratification? is ?differential ranking of human individuals who compose a given social system and their treatment as superior or inferior relative to one another in certain socially important respects? (Parsons, Analytical Approach to Social Strat,69).
Journal On Importance Of Being Earnest Essay
, Research Paper In this play, being earnest is made as superficial a trait as possible; it means simply having the name Earnest. The characters are motivated and controlled by a hollow and artificial set of social standards that have little substance but are used to maintain social distinctions and social class privileges.
Animal House Essay Research Paper Social commentary
Animal House Essay, Research Paper Social commentary is sometimes found at the heart of good art, whether that art form is literature or popular music. The novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and the rock album, Animals written and performed by Pink Floyd share the same characteristic of scathing social commentary.
Social Role Essay Research Paper About Its
Social Role Essay, Research Paper About Its Social Role Waxing eloquent about stakeholder management and corporate social responsibility is in some circles the surest way to stifle a business conversation, if not a business career. Corporate philanthropy brings satisfaction to those who give and receive, the argument goes, but let us not get carried away by talk of give-aways.
American Dream Essay Research Paper scribes the
American Dream Essay, Research Paper scribes the defeat of the American dream, and that the American ideals differ with the actual social conditions that exist in society. For the American constitutions stands for the freedom, and equality among people, but the truth of the matter is that social discrimination still exists and the grouping among the classes can never be overcome.
Suicide Essay Research Paper Social Problem Teen
Suicide Essay, Research Paper -Social Problem: Teen Suicide -Social Problem- Any problem that may cause pain and may affect a person?s life. ? Teen Suicide- Intentional and self-inflicted death.
Shang Dynasty Essay Research Paper Social Classes
Shang Dynasty Essay, Research Paper Social Classes and Daily lives 1.Social Classes a. Nobles 1.The King owned everything.2.The King and the family ruled.3.The King Lead the worriers into battle.b. Commoners1.Rich men had several wives each with a family and servants.2.The head of the family was the oldest most likely the grand father orfather of the house.a.
Mythology And Policy Essay Research Paper Mythology
Mythology And Policy Essay, Research Paper Mythology and policy has been a part of human culture for as long as there has been civilization . Day provides us with a history of the beginnings of social welfare. She speaks how social policy as well as social welfare has effected individuals, families, and the larger society of today.
Social Security Essay Research Paper Will Social
Social Security Essay, Research Paper Will Social Security be here in the future Social Security is a system that was set up in 1935 after the Great depression to help people get through tough times. “Social Security is now used by nearly 44 million Americans”(policy). Only people who payed into social security are eligible to collect when they retire.
AntiEminem Essay Research Paper We the undersigned
Anti-Eminem Essay, Research Paper We, the undersigned, have committed ourselves to living in this crumbling society. We all know that it is losers such as Marshall Mathers (Eminem) that are at fault for the constant downgrading of our society and social values.
Social Change In The Us Essay Research
Paper Social Change in the United States Social change is the changes with living together as a group with human beings. People experience social change all of their life and it never ends. Without social change, this world would be very dull and boring.
Rise Of Sociology Essay Research Paper The
Rise Of Sociology Essay, Research Paper The Rise of Sociology The field of sociology evolved as a response to the impact of profound social and political fragmentation experienced in the West. A fundamental shift in both social and intellectual patterns created by the economic evolution of the eighteenth century led to great concern among scholars of the period.
Social Realism Essay Research Paper Social Realism
Social Realism Essay, Research Paper Social Realism In Art Social realism, in art, describes both a specific stylistic approach and an overall attitude toward the subject. Social realism aims toward the not so lovely part of life. Its goal is not to amuse but to show the observer the evils of poverty , immorality and war.
Should Social Policy Be Concerned With Creating
Equality Essay, Research Paper Social policy covers a social wide range of social welfare provisions,? that the vast majority of society are able use.? As Mishra notes ?social policy? social arrangements,
Social Darwinism Essay Research Paper Social DarwinismSocial
Social Darwinism Essay, Research Paper Social Darwinism Social Darwinism was a late nineteenth-century social theory that was based on the theories of evolution of scientist Charles Darwin. The ideas and behind Social Darwinism came directly from his theories of evolution and, ?survival of the fittest.? The theory was used to explain how the economic growth of America was coming along.