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1. INT-450 • Cultural Anthropology • Topic 3c
Social Stratification: Class & Power

2. Social Strati
fi
cation
The organization of people into ranked groups, or hierarchies based on
particular characteristics.
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 105

3. List ways societies
categorize people

4. How do societies
categorize people?
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Disability
• Economic Status
• Vocation
• Social Class
• Education
• Religion
• Age

5. What are the felt effects
of stratification?

6. Effects of
Stratification
• Access to social resources
• Power to in
fl
uence society
• Access to economic resources

7. Social Inequality
Di
ff
erential access to economic capital, political capital, or social capital
that results from strati
fi
cation.
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 105

8. Social Inequality
Determines people’s access to political, social, and economic capital
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 105

9. Types of Capital (Resources)
• Political Capital — access to political resources power
• Economic Capital — access to economic resources
• Social Capital — access to social resources

10. Political Capital
A person’s ability to exert political or legal power within a
society.

11. New Jersey in 1776
Eligibility to Vote:
All inhabitants who were over 21,
owned property, worth 50 pounds,
and resided in a country for at least
one year
https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-8-1-b-who-voted-in-early-america

12. New Jersey in 1776
• Economic Class
• Age
• Property
• Race (no slaves)
https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-8-1-b-who-voted-in-early-america

13. New Jersey in 1776
• Political power
• Determined how NJ would lean
during the Revolution
https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-8-1-b-who-voted-in-early-america

14. Women & Voting
• 19th Amendment (4 June 1919)
• Granted women right to vote
• Class based on Gender
Susan B Anthony

15. Political Capital
Can you think of a society, besides America, where class
limits a person’s political power?

16. Muslim Majority Societies
• Shari’a Law
• Restriction by religion
• Jews, Christians, and Non-Muslims

17. Economic Capital
Limits a person’s ability to acquire wealth and have access
to economic resources

18. Equal Credit Opportunity
Act of 1974
Banks could refuse women a credit
card prior to the ECO Act 1974,
even if they were single, divorced, or
widowed, regardless of their age
McLaughlin, Katie. (25 August 2014). 5 Things women couldn’t do in the 1960s. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/07/living/sixties-women-5-things/index.html

19. Economic Capital
Can you think of a society, besides America, where class
limits a person’s access to economic capital (wealth)?

20. Social Capital
Limits a person’s access to social resources

21. Jim Crow System
Limited African Americans to what
schools they could attend, stores
they could shop in, and restaurants

22. India’s Caste System
India’s caste system limited people
based on their birth access to social
resources

23. Status
The position a person may occupy in a social structure.
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 108

24. Achieved Status — person becomes because of their own
e
ff
ort, choice, behaviors, or skills
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 108

25. Achieved Statuses
Age — voting, driving, drinking
Education — eligibility for certain jobs
Voting — land ownership, wealth in some countries
Citizenship — religion (Israel, Muslim countries)
Membership in the Communist Party (China, Vietnam)
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 108

26. Ascribed Status (caste) — given, through no choice or
action of the person.
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 108

27. Ascribed Statuses
Gender — Women’s rights in Muslim majority, or even some US Companies
Race — Job discrimination in America, racism in other countries
Caste — Social discrimination in India
Social Classes — Through early 20th century England
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 108

28. Role
Prescribed behaviors for those who occupy a status
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 110

29. Ascribed Roles
Gender — Women’s rights in Muslim majority, or even some US Companies
Race — Job discrimination in America, racism in other countries
Caste — Social discrimination in India
Social Classes — Through early 20th century England
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 108

30. French Estates
• Aristocracy — ruling class
• Clergy — religious class
• Bourgeoisie — business class
• Proletariate — working class

31. Role of Housewives
Up through 1960’s

32. Caste System
• Brahmins — priests, teachers
• Kshatriya — rulers, warriors
• Vaishya — business owners
• Sudra — laborers, working class
• Dalits — untouchables,

33. Christian Responsibility
1. When should we address inequality?
2. When is there a justi
fi
cation for inequality?
Howell & Paris, 2019, p. 110

34. Case Study: Inequality
• Age
• Legal Status
• Economic Class
• Religion

35. Case Study: Inequality
• Age — Should a 12 year olds be able to drink and drive?
• Legal Status
• Economic Class
• Religion

36. Case Study: Inequality
• Age — Should a 12 year olds be able to drink and drive?
• Legal Status — Should non-citizens, non-residents be able to vote?
• Economic Class
• Religion

37. Case Study: Inequality
• Age — Should a 12 year olds be able to drink and drive?
• Legal Status — Should non-citizens, non-residents be able to vote?
• Economic Class — Should the daughter of a billionaire be eligible for
fi
nancial aid?
• Religion

38. Case Study: Inequality
• Age — Should a 12 year olds be able to drink and drive?
• Legal Status — Should non-citizens, non-residents be able to vote?
• Economic Class — Should the daughter of a billionaire be eligible for
fi
nancial aid?
• Religion — Should a practicing Buddhist teach CWV-101 Christian Worldview @ GCU

39. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return

40. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return limits citizenship to those who are considered Jews (have
one Jewish mother, or converted to Judaism. Exception: Those with one
Jewish grandparent may claim citizenship, but as non-Jews

41. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return limits citizenship to those who are considered Jews (have one Jewish
mother, or converted to Judaism. Exception: Those with one Jewish grandparent may
claim citizenship, but as non-Jews
• Total population of Israel is 9.364 million

42. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return limits citizenship to those who are considered Jews (have one Jewish
mother, or converted to Judaism. Exception: Those with one Jewish grandparent may
claim citizenship, but as non-Jews
• Total population 9.364 million
• Jewish Citizens 7.08 million

43. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return limits citizenship to those who are considered Jews (have one Jewish
mother, or converted to Judaism. Exception: Those with one Jewish grandparent may
claim citizenship, but as non-Jews
• Total population 9.364 million
• Jewish Citizens 7.08 million
• Arab Citizens 1.90 million

44. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return limits citizenship to those who are considered Jews (have one Jewish
mother, or converted to Judaism. Exception: Those with one Jewish grandparent may
claim citizenship, but as non-Jews
• Total population 9.364 million
• Jewish Citizens 7.08 million
• Arab Citizens 1.90 million
• Palestinian Westbank 2.75 million (non-citizens)

45. Case Study: Israel
• Law of Return limits citizenship to those who are considered Jews (have one Jewish
mother, or converted to Judaism. Exception: Those with one Jewish grandparent may
claim citizenship, but as non-Jews
• Total population 9.364 million
• Jewish Citizens 7.08 million
• Arab Citizens 1.90 million
• Palestinian non-citizen population 2.75 million
• What would happen if all Palestinians were granted the right to return to
Israel and claim full citizenship?

46. Christian Response to Inequality
1. What are cases where we should respond to inequality?
2. What are cases where there are reasons for inequality?
3. What are di
ffi
cult cases requiring ethical decisions?

47. Benchmark Questions
1. What classes or castes can you identify in the culture?
2. How are these classes determined (race, religion, gender)?
3. Which ones are achieved? Which ones ascribed?
4. What roles are prescribed to members of each class?
5. What tensions can you identify?
6. How will you engage the roles and inequality?