Social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of social groups in society and the unequal distribution of resources. It involves ranking individuals based on commonly accepted standards like wealth, power, and prestige. There are generally two main types of social stratification - social class, which divides people into broad categories based on their economic status and lifestyle, and caste, where social status is fixed and inherited. Social stratification is perpetuated through major social institutions and can vary between closed systems with no social mobility, like caste systems, versus open systems that allow for movement between classes based on merit.

1. Social Stratification
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2. Definition
 1. Ogburn and Nimkoff:
 ‘The process by which individuals and groups are
ranked in more or less enduring hierarchy of status
is known as stratification”
 2. Gisbert:
 “Social stratification is the division of society into
permanent groups of categories linked with each
other by the relationship of superiority and
subordinations”.

3. 3. Williams:
Social Stratification refers to “The ranking of
individuals on a scale of superiority-inferiority-
equality, according to some commonly accepted
basis of valuation.
4. Raymond W. Murray:
Social stratification is horizontal division of society
into “higher” and “lower” social units.”

4. Social stratification

5. Social Stratification
 Stratify means to arrange different parts in
separate layers.
 Ranking of individual and groups.
 Hierarchical arrangement and establishment of
social categories.
 It is found in all human groups.
 It is perpetuated by the major institutions of
society.

6. Types of Social stratification
 Generally social stratification classified
As follows
 Social Class
 Caste

7. Class is large set of people regarded by themselves or
others as sharing similar status with regard to wealth,
power and prestige.
Social Class

9. Gender stratification

10. Class stratification

11. Poor and Richer are apart from each other

12. Poor and richer

13. Social Mobility
• Social Mobility – the movement of people b/w
social classes
• Horizontal mobility- changing form one
occupation to another at the same social class level
– Ex. When and army officer become a teacher, or a waiter
becomes a taxi driver
• Vertical mobility – person’s occupational status or
social class moves upwards or downward
– Intergenerational mobility – when the change takes place
over a generation
• A plumber’s daughter becoming a physician, or a lawyer’s son
becoming a carpenter

14. Caste and Open-Class Systems
– Caste system – there is no social mobility b/c social status is
inherited and cannot be changed
• Statuses and occupation are ascribed
• Apartheid – was a caste system based on race
• India – Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudra, and Untouchables
– Tradition keeps the caste system intact
– Open-class system – a system in which social class is based
on merit and individual effort, movement b/w classes is
allowed
• Ex. – U.S country