This document summarizes different systems of social stratification including caste, slavery, and social class. It discusses caste systems as determined by birth and outlines India's religious castes. Slavery is defined as the ownership of people, and that while it has been abolished in most places, it still exists today in some forms. Social class is described as being more open and based on factors like money, material possessions, and social mobility. The document also examines stratification in terms of race, gender, age, and socioeconomic status, and discusses perspectives on why stratification is considered a universal social phenomenon.

1. Stratification
Michael Itagaki
Sociology 101, Introduction to Sociology

2. Stratification
 Ranking some kinds of people as more
deserving than others
 Every society stratifies its members

3. Three Systems of Stratification
 Caste
 Slavery
 Class

4. Three Systems of Stratification
 Caste
 Caste system: determined by birth,
a lifelong condition
 Endogamy: Marriage w/in group
 ex. India

5. India’s Religious Castes
 Priests/teachers
 Rulers/soldiers
 Merchants/traders
 Peasants/laborers
 Untouchables/outcasts

6. Three Systems of Stratification
 Slavery
 Definition: Ownership of people by
other people
 Causes: debt, crime, war
 Exists today (p. 163)
video link

7. Three Systems of Stratification
 Questions about slavery in Sudan
 If you were a school principal, would you
encourage raising money to participate in
slave buyback programs? Why or why not?
 What are some of your alternative
strategies?

8. Three Systems of Stratification
 What can you do about slavery and
human trafficking? For more info:
 http://www.unicef.org.uk/
 Campaigns: End Child trafficking; End Child
exploitation
 http://www.humantraffickingsearch.net/
 http://www.stopthetraffik.org/

9. Three Systems of Stratification
 Class
 Class system: more open, based on
money, material possessions
 Social mobility

10. How Do We Stratify People?
 Race
 Gender
 Age
 Social Class

11. Impact of Stratification
 Stratification determines our life chances
 Our opportunities to experience
material good, positive living
conditions & favorable life experiences

12. Impact of Stratification
 Ex.: Life chances of becoming a
murder victim
 White female
 White male
 Black female
 Black male
= 1 in 606
= 1 in 186
= 1 in 124
= 1 in 29

13. How Do We Stratify People?
 Race
 Gender
 Age
 Social Class

14. Determining Social Class
 Marx: Economic control
 Means of production
 Bourgeoisie (owners)
 Proletariat (workers)
 Property determines lifestyles, shapes
ideas, establishes relationships

15. Determining Social Class
 Weber: Criticized Marx
 Class, Status, Power
 Class, or property, wealth
 Status or prestige
 Power

16. Weber: Class, Status, Power
Class (property, wealth)
Status (prestige) Power

17. Social Class
Socialized to
follow orders,
conventions,
norms
Socialized to question orders
(ask why?), be leaders

18. Socioeconomic Status (SES)
 Composite ranking:
 Income, occupation, education, etc…

19. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 College/university example
 President
 Students
 Qualifications  Rewards

20. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 Davis Moore Hypothesis—Stratification is
inevitable because:
 Certain positions must be filled
 Some positions are more important
 More imp. pos. = more qualified people
 Motivate qual. people = greater rewards

21. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 Davis Moore Hypothesis
 Meritocracy
 Functionalist type of view point
 Is this a justification for stratification?

22. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 Criticism of functionalist viewpoint
 Most imp. positions = highest rewards
 Is this a true meritocracy?
Ex. of women in college

23. Table 9.2 (p. 294, Social Problems, Henslin)
Doctorates in Science, by Sex

24. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 Criticism of functionalist viewpoint
 Most imp. positions = highest rewards
 Is this a true meritocracy?
Ex. of women in college
 If functional, should benefit more people,
yet dysfunctional for many.

25. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 Another viewpoint
 Organization requires leadership
 Leadership means inequality.
 Some lead, some follow…two groups?
 Power can reinforce position

26. Why is Stratification
Universal?
 Another viewpoint
 Power can reinforce position
 Convince “oppressed” this is good.
 Ideologies: Beliefs to justify way things are
 Divine right of kings: Authority comes
from God
 Sound like “opiate of the people?”
 Conflict Theory: Marx’s ideas

27. Global Stratification
Nations Land Population
Most Industrialized
(blue)
31% 16%
Industrializing Nations
(red)
20% 16%
Least Industrialized
(yellow)
49% 68%

29. How Did the World Become
Stratified?
 Colonialism
 1st countries to industrialize, expand
 World Systems
 Globalization of capitalism
 Culture of poverty
 No room for risk
 Religious acceptance of situation

30. How Did the World Become
Stratified?
 Colonialism
 World Systems
 Culture of poverty
 Culture of poverty criticized, reality
likely a blend of the theories

31. The Maquiladoras
 Page 252-253, Discussion
 Conflict theory
 Split labor market: pitting workers against
each other
 Functionalism?
 Functions? Dysfunctions
 Symbolic Interaction
 Perceptions of reality