Social Stratification
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Definitions
Social Stratification: the systematic ranking/ hierarchy of social positions whose occupations are treated as superior, equal or inferior to one another.
Social Strata: groups of persons who occupy positions of same or similar rank.
Open system: a social system is „open‟ to outsiders if and insofar as its system of order does not deny participation to anyone who wishes to join and is actually in a position to do so.
Closed system: a social system will be closed to outsiders when its subjective meaning and binding rules prevents the participation of certain persons.
Social mobility: movement of an individual from one group to another in society.
Horizontal: the movement from one social position to another on the same level. Eg. Changing from a Baptist to a Methodist.
Vertical: mobility occurs when individuals move from one social stratum to another whether it be higher or lower than the previous. Eg. Moving from wealth to bankruptcy or from poverty to a Lotto winner.
Intergenerational mobility: changes in the social positions of children relative to their parents. a plumber whose father was a doctor shows downward intergenerational mobility. Intragenerational mobility: changes in social position within an individual‟s adult life. Someone who enters UWI as a graduate assistant and later becomes Dean of a Faculty shows upward intragenerational mobility.
Systems of Stratification
Estate system:
Closed system of stratification Social position defined by law and membership primarily determined by inheritance. Mobility was possible only when a higher position is purchased. Eg. Medieval Europe in the Middle Ages – nobility, clergy and peasants.
Caste system:
Closed system based on ascribed characteristics such as race/ethnicity, gender and skin colour. There is no possibility of mobility. Contact btw castes are
Definitions
Social Stratification: the systematic ranking/ hierarchy of social positions whose occupations are treated as superior, equal or inferior to one another.
Social Strata: groups of persons who occupy positions of same or similar rank.
Open system: a social system is „open‟ to outsiders if and insofar as its system of order does not deny participation to anyone who wishes to join and is actually in a position to do so.
Closed system: a social system will be closed to outsiders when its subjective meaning and binding rules prevents the participation of certain persons.
Social mobility: movement of an individual from one group to another in society.
Horizontal: the movement from one social position to another on the same level. Eg. Changing from a Baptist to a Methodist.
Vertical: mobility occurs when individuals move from one social stratum to another whether it be higher or lower than the previous. Eg. Moving from wealth to bankruptcy or from poverty to a Lotto winner.
Intergenerational mobility: changes in the social positions of children relative to their parents. a plumber whose father was a doctor shows downward intergenerational mobility. Intragenerational mobility: changes in social position within an individual‟s adult life. Someone who enters UWI as a graduate assistant and later becomes Dean of a Faculty shows upward intragenerational mobility.
Systems of Stratification
Estate system:
Closed system of stratification Social position defined by law and membership primarily determined by inheritance. Mobility was possible only when a higher position is purchased. Eg. Medieval Europe in the Middle Ages – nobility, clergy and peasants.
Caste system:
Closed system based on ascribed characteristics such as race/ethnicity, gender and skin colour. There is no possibility of mobility. Contact btw castes are