This document discusses three types of societies - egalitarian, rank, and class/caste - based on levels of social stratification and access to resources and prestige. Egalitarian societies have equal access for all. Rank societies have unequal prestige access but equal resources. Class/caste societies have unequal access to both prestige and resources. Stratification emerged recently in human history with agriculture/herding and features like money and specialization.
The document summarizes human evolution and life during the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) from around 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE. It describes the major hominin species including Australopithecus, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens sapiens. Paleolithic humans lived nomadic lifestyles in small bands, hunting and gathering for food. They used simple stone tools and harnessed fire. Later species such as Cro-Magnons produced cave paintings and sculptures, indicating religious and cultural developments.
Anthropology began as a hobby for 19th century scholars who wrote travel diaries commenting on other cultures without conducting fieldwork. Early anthropologists constructed theories of cultural evolution to explain differences but later emphasized understanding each culture on its own terms through first-hand data collection. Bronislaw Malinowski established participant observation as the method for fieldwork in the early 20th century. Leslie White and Julian Steward viewed culture as adapting to the environment and harnessing resources. Modern anthropology utilizes both scientific approaches that see culture as adapting to the environment and humanistic approaches that emphasize cultural uniqueness. Ideational perspectives focus on ideas and symbols shaping behavior, while adaptive perspectives emphasize technology, ecology, demography and economics.
Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern Iraq, was the site of some of the earliest human civilizations. People first settled there due to natural levees along the rivers that protected against floods while enabling irrigation. Several successive civilizations arose in Mesopotamia over 3000 years, including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. These civilizations developed systems of writing like cuneiform, advanced mathematics, the wheel, and organized religion centered around temples. Though Mesopotamia faced environmental challenges like flooding and lack of resources, its civilizations left lasting legacies as the cradle of modern civilization.
Anthropology is the study of humans, their societies, and cultures. It takes a holistic and multifaceted approach to understand all aspects of human experience. Anthropologists study humans geographically, historically, biologically, culturally, linguistically, and archaeologically. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of humans, how and why we vary, our past evolution and societies, and to help avoid misunderstandings between cultural groups.
The document summarizes four early river valley civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and Ancient China. It focuses on details about Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Mesopotamia developed between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, with irrigation canals enabling agriculture. Writing in cuneiform on clay tablets emerged over 5,000 years ago. Egyptian civilization arose along the fertile Nile River valley. Power was centered around pharaohs, who were believed to be gods and controlled the land and trade. Both civilizations made advances in art, architecture like pyramids, and religion involving many gods and beliefs about afterlife.
Presentation prepared for lectures on Anarchism for PS 240 Introduction to Political Theory at the University of Kentucky, Spring 2007. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Instructor.
The document discusses the concept of culture and its key aspects. It defines culture as the complex whole of knowledge, beliefs, arts, customs, and other capabilities acquired by humans as members of society. Culture includes both material and non-material elements that are learned and transmitted between generations through social interaction and language. Some key characteristics of culture are that it is learned, adaptive, distinctive to social groups, and comprises established patterns of behavior with sanctions for conformity.
The ancient Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens emerged as centers of power due to the mountainous geography of Greece. Sparta developed a strict military society ruled by kings and elders, while Athens gradually transitioned to a democratic system where male citizens could directly participate in governing. Under the leadership of Pericles, Athenian democracy broadened further and Athens became a cultural center, though democracy was still limited. The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta weakened both cities and marked the decline of Greek dominance. Key Greek contributions to political thought included concepts of direct democracy, participation of citizens in government, and separation of governmental powers.
The document summarizes human evolution and life during the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) from around 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE. It describes the major hominin species including Australopithecus, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens sapiens. Paleolithic humans lived nomadic lifestyles in small bands, hunting and gathering for food. They used simple stone tools and harnessed fire. Later species such as Cro-Magnons produced cave paintings and sculptures, indicating religious and cultural developments.
Anthropology began as a hobby for 19th century scholars who wrote travel diaries commenting on other cultures without conducting fieldwork. Early anthropologists constructed theories of cultural evolution to explain differences but later emphasized understanding each culture on its own terms through first-hand data collection. Bronislaw Malinowski established participant observation as the method for fieldwork in the early 20th century. Leslie White and Julian Steward viewed culture as adapting to the environment and harnessing resources. Modern anthropology utilizes both scientific approaches that see culture as adapting to the environment and humanistic approaches that emphasize cultural uniqueness. Ideational perspectives focus on ideas and symbols shaping behavior, while adaptive perspectives emphasize technology, ecology, demography and economics.
Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern Iraq, was the site of some of the earliest human civilizations. People first settled there due to natural levees along the rivers that protected against floods while enabling irrigation. Several successive civilizations arose in Mesopotamia over 3000 years, including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. These civilizations developed systems of writing like cuneiform, advanced mathematics, the wheel, and organized religion centered around temples. Though Mesopotamia faced environmental challenges like flooding and lack of resources, its civilizations left lasting legacies as the cradle of modern civilization.
Anthropology is the study of humans, their societies, and cultures. It takes a holistic and multifaceted approach to understand all aspects of human experience. Anthropologists study humans geographically, historically, biologically, culturally, linguistically, and archaeologically. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of humans, how and why we vary, our past evolution and societies, and to help avoid misunderstandings between cultural groups.
The document summarizes four early river valley civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and Ancient China. It focuses on details about Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Mesopotamia developed between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, with irrigation canals enabling agriculture. Writing in cuneiform on clay tablets emerged over 5,000 years ago. Egyptian civilization arose along the fertile Nile River valley. Power was centered around pharaohs, who were believed to be gods and controlled the land and trade. Both civilizations made advances in art, architecture like pyramids, and religion involving many gods and beliefs about afterlife.
Presentation prepared for lectures on Anarchism for PS 240 Introduction to Political Theory at the University of Kentucky, Spring 2007. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Instructor.
The document discusses the concept of culture and its key aspects. It defines culture as the complex whole of knowledge, beliefs, arts, customs, and other capabilities acquired by humans as members of society. Culture includes both material and non-material elements that are learned and transmitted between generations through social interaction and language. Some key characteristics of culture are that it is learned, adaptive, distinctive to social groups, and comprises established patterns of behavior with sanctions for conformity.
The ancient Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens emerged as centers of power due to the mountainous geography of Greece. Sparta developed a strict military society ruled by kings and elders, while Athens gradually transitioned to a democratic system where male citizens could directly participate in governing. Under the leadership of Pericles, Athenian democracy broadened further and Athens became a cultural center, though democracy was still limited. The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta weakened both cities and marked the decline of Greek dominance. Key Greek contributions to political thought included concepts of direct democracy, participation of citizens in government, and separation of governmental powers.
Franz Boas developed the theory of historical particularism, which rejects the idea that cultural traits follow single evolutionary paths. Through his research on immigrant populations in the US and indigenous groups in the Pacific Northwest, Boas demonstrated that human biology and culture are influenced by environmental and historical context rather than predetermined. Historical particularism stresses that cultural traits diffuse between societies but take on distinct histories as they are adapted locally. Comparisons of cultural traits across societies are not valid because their origins and meanings have been shaped by different historical processes.
Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. It examines human cultures, societies, languages, and how humans have evolved over time. There are four main branches of anthropology: cultural anthropology studies existing cultures; archaeology studies past cultures through artifacts; biological anthropology studies human evolution and genetics; and social anthropology examines how humans behave in social groups. Anthropology takes a holistic perspective by considering biological, social, linguistic, and cultural factors that influence human behavior and development.
Middle ages feudalism and manor lesson pptGreg Sill
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Western Europe entered a period known as the Middle Ages from 400-1400 AD. During this time, feudalism developed as a political and social system out of necessity. Under feudalism, kings granted land to nobles who then protected their territory, and nobles granted land to knights and peasants in exchange for loyalty and labor. This hierarchical system helped bring order but also led to a decentralized power structure and a decline in trade, learning, and technology development over the Middle Ages.
This document defines and discusses various concepts related to nationalism. It begins by defining a nation as a cultural, political, and psychological community bound together by common language, religion, history and traditions. Nationalism is then defined as the political belief that nations should govern themselves independently.
It goes on to discuss different types of nationalism like liberal nationalism, which supports national self-determination, versus expansionist nationalism, which is more exclusive and chauvinistic. Civic nationalism is defined as being inclusive and based on citizenship, while ethno-cultural nationalism is exclusive and based on descent. Conservative nationalism promotes social cohesion over liberal principles. Anticolonial nationalism emerged in opposition to Western imperialism.
This document outlines different aspects of family and kinship structures across cultures. It discusses control of sexual relations through practices like marriage, incest taboos, and exogamy/endogamy. It also describes forms of marriage such as monogamy, polygamy, and group marriage. Additional topics covered include choice of spouse, family and household composition, residence patterns, descent groups that trace lineage matrilineally or patrilineally, and different kinship terminologies used among cultures like the Eskimo, Hawaiian, Iroquois, Crow, Omaha, and Sudanese.
Social inequality refers to unequal opportunities and rewards based on social positions or statuses. It results from social hierarchies that broker unequal access to resources and rights. There are two main ways to measure inequality: inequality of conditions regarding material goods and inequality of opportunities regarding life chances like education and criminal justice treatment. Sociologists study social inequality by examining its structural causes, ideological supports, and social reform movements.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIAL STUDIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE.pptxYhanAcol
Social science refers to the systematic study of human society and social relationships through disciplines like economics, history, geography, political science, and sociology using scientific methods. Social studies applies social science disciplines to promote civic competence and effective citizenship through a multidisciplinary approach. While social science focuses on building theoretical knowledge, social studies emphasizes using that knowledge to help students understand issues and make reasoned decisions as citizens. Both aim to provide insights into human behavior and interactions within societies over time but social studies specifically targets understanding the past and present interactions between individuals, groups, systems and institutions.
Human societies have evolved from small nomadic hunter-gatherer groups to today's large, complex industrial societies. Early societies such as hunting/gathering and horticultural/pastoral groups were family-centered with simple technology and economies. The development of agriculture led to permanent settlements, surplus production, social inequality, and early civilizations. The industrial revolution introduced mechanized production, urbanization, occupational specialization, and advanced technologies, transforming societies into highly interconnected systems.
This document defines key concepts related to kinship and family, including kinship, family, household, descent systems, marriage, and residence patterns. It discusses kinship as social relationships based on genealogical ties, and categorizes kinship as either consanguineous (by blood) or affinal (by marriage). The document outlines different systems of determining kinship such as unilineal, bilineal, and bilateral descent. It also defines types of marriages like monogamy, polygamy, and systems of post-marital residence.
This document provides an overview of the field of anthropology. It defines anthropology as the study of humankind everywhere and throughout time. The key fields of anthropology are discussed as archaeology, physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistics. Research methods used by anthropologists are described, including cultural immersion, human ecology studies, archaeological analysis, and linguistic analysis. Physical anthropological research methods focusing on human bones and remains are also summarized. The document contrasts anthropology with other social sciences and discusses concepts like culture, society, evolution, and postmodernism.
Anarchism is an ideology that refuses to die that originated from William Godwin and developed through syndicalism. The core themes of anarchism are anti-statism, belief in natural order, anti-clericalism, and support for economic freedom. Anarchism seeks a world without government through non-violent means and envisions an anarchist world as a surrealist world without authoritarian control.
Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human. It takes a holistic approach across four fields: archaeology studies how humans shape their material environments; physical anthropology examines human biological diversity and evolution; linguistic anthropology analyzes human language and communication; and cultural anthropology describes human cultures and learned knowledge systems. Together, these four fields seek to understand all aspects of human existence and behavior.
The document provides an overview of cultural geography of religion. It defines religion and discusses major world religions including their origins, divisions, and basic precepts. The major universalizing religions covered are Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. The major ethnic religions discussed are Hinduism and Judaism. Other ethnic Asian religions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Shintoism are also briefly mentioned.
The document summarizes the development of Greek city-states and provides details about Athens and Sparta. It describes how city-states emerged from villages built on mountains and islands. City-states were small, self-governing communities called poleis. Athens and Sparta were two prominent city-states that differed in their governments, cultures, and ways of life.
The cradle of civilization is a term referring to locations where, according to current archaeological data, civilization is understood to have emerged.
Current thinking is that there was no single "cradle", but several civilizations that developed independently; with the Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia and Egypt, understood to be the earliest.
This document summarizes the key topics and concepts related to the study of religion as a social institution. It defines religion and discusses its core structures, which include the sacred, beliefs, values, rituals, and experiences. It then examines the main functions of religion, such as providing answers to life's ultimate questions, offering mental peace and guidelines for living, promoting welfare, and influencing political systems. Finally, it outlines several important concepts used in the study of religion, such as the profane, secularization, cults, sects, and fundamentation.
This document discusses deviance and social control. It defines deviance as variations from social norms and expectations. While some deviance is normal, too much or extreme deviations can disrupt social order. Deviance performs functions like defining norms but can also have dysfunctions. Society uses internal and external social controls like sanctions to encourage conformity. Theories of deviance include strain theory, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionist perspectives like differential association theory and labeling theory.
The Persian Wars consisted of several key battles between 499-479 BCE when the Persians invaded Greece. The wars began with the Ionian Revolt when Greek cities rebelled against Persian rule. This led to the Battle of Marathon where the Athenians defeated the first Persian invasion force. The second invasion was larger, led by Xerxes, and included battles at Thermopylae, where Spartans heroically delayed the Persians, and Salamis, where the larger Persian navy was defeated by the Greeks. The final battle was Plataea, resulting in a Greek victory and ending the wars, leaving Athens as the dominant power in Greece.
Social control, Meaning of social control, Need of social control, Social control theory, Types of social control, Objectives and functions of social control, Social sanctions and its types, Reestablishing the OLD Social System, Regulation of Individual Social Behavior, Obedience to Social Decisions, To Establish Social Unity, To bring Solidarity, To bring Conformity in Society, To Provide Social Sanction, To Check Cultural Maladjustment, Direct social control, Indirect social control, positive or negative, physical or psychological, formal or informal, Combination
This document provides an overview of a sociology presentation on social stratification. It includes definitions of key terms like social stratification and discusses the basic principles of stratification. It then covers different historical forms of social stratification from early societies to modern industrialized societies. The major systems of stratification discussed include slavery, caste, estate, and class systems. Different group members then provide more details on concepts like caste vs class systems, the history and causes of slavery, how the estate system worked, and the composition of social classes.
INTRODUCTION, Definitions, Origin, Causes, Characteristics, IMPACTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION, FORMS OF STRATIFICATION, Health Sector, Education, Bounds Individual Actions, Specification of Social Roles, Societal laws, Whom Will Live Or Die, The Slavery System, The Estate System, The Caste System, The Class System, Structural-Functionalist Perspectives, Social-Conflict Perspectives, Multidimensional Perspectives, SOCIAL MOBILITY, Horizontal mobility, VERTICAL MOBILITY, Intragenerational mobility, Intergenerational mobility, Structural mobility, Positional mobility
Franz Boas developed the theory of historical particularism, which rejects the idea that cultural traits follow single evolutionary paths. Through his research on immigrant populations in the US and indigenous groups in the Pacific Northwest, Boas demonstrated that human biology and culture are influenced by environmental and historical context rather than predetermined. Historical particularism stresses that cultural traits diffuse between societies but take on distinct histories as they are adapted locally. Comparisons of cultural traits across societies are not valid because their origins and meanings have been shaped by different historical processes.
Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. It examines human cultures, societies, languages, and how humans have evolved over time. There are four main branches of anthropology: cultural anthropology studies existing cultures; archaeology studies past cultures through artifacts; biological anthropology studies human evolution and genetics; and social anthropology examines how humans behave in social groups. Anthropology takes a holistic perspective by considering biological, social, linguistic, and cultural factors that influence human behavior and development.
Middle ages feudalism and manor lesson pptGreg Sill
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Western Europe entered a period known as the Middle Ages from 400-1400 AD. During this time, feudalism developed as a political and social system out of necessity. Under feudalism, kings granted land to nobles who then protected their territory, and nobles granted land to knights and peasants in exchange for loyalty and labor. This hierarchical system helped bring order but also led to a decentralized power structure and a decline in trade, learning, and technology development over the Middle Ages.
This document defines and discusses various concepts related to nationalism. It begins by defining a nation as a cultural, political, and psychological community bound together by common language, religion, history and traditions. Nationalism is then defined as the political belief that nations should govern themselves independently.
It goes on to discuss different types of nationalism like liberal nationalism, which supports national self-determination, versus expansionist nationalism, which is more exclusive and chauvinistic. Civic nationalism is defined as being inclusive and based on citizenship, while ethno-cultural nationalism is exclusive and based on descent. Conservative nationalism promotes social cohesion over liberal principles. Anticolonial nationalism emerged in opposition to Western imperialism.
This document outlines different aspects of family and kinship structures across cultures. It discusses control of sexual relations through practices like marriage, incest taboos, and exogamy/endogamy. It also describes forms of marriage such as monogamy, polygamy, and group marriage. Additional topics covered include choice of spouse, family and household composition, residence patterns, descent groups that trace lineage matrilineally or patrilineally, and different kinship terminologies used among cultures like the Eskimo, Hawaiian, Iroquois, Crow, Omaha, and Sudanese.
Social inequality refers to unequal opportunities and rewards based on social positions or statuses. It results from social hierarchies that broker unequal access to resources and rights. There are two main ways to measure inequality: inequality of conditions regarding material goods and inequality of opportunities regarding life chances like education and criminal justice treatment. Sociologists study social inequality by examining its structural causes, ideological supports, and social reform movements.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIAL STUDIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE.pptxYhanAcol
Social science refers to the systematic study of human society and social relationships through disciplines like economics, history, geography, political science, and sociology using scientific methods. Social studies applies social science disciplines to promote civic competence and effective citizenship through a multidisciplinary approach. While social science focuses on building theoretical knowledge, social studies emphasizes using that knowledge to help students understand issues and make reasoned decisions as citizens. Both aim to provide insights into human behavior and interactions within societies over time but social studies specifically targets understanding the past and present interactions between individuals, groups, systems and institutions.
Human societies have evolved from small nomadic hunter-gatherer groups to today's large, complex industrial societies. Early societies such as hunting/gathering and horticultural/pastoral groups were family-centered with simple technology and economies. The development of agriculture led to permanent settlements, surplus production, social inequality, and early civilizations. The industrial revolution introduced mechanized production, urbanization, occupational specialization, and advanced technologies, transforming societies into highly interconnected systems.
This document defines key concepts related to kinship and family, including kinship, family, household, descent systems, marriage, and residence patterns. It discusses kinship as social relationships based on genealogical ties, and categorizes kinship as either consanguineous (by blood) or affinal (by marriage). The document outlines different systems of determining kinship such as unilineal, bilineal, and bilateral descent. It also defines types of marriages like monogamy, polygamy, and systems of post-marital residence.
This document provides an overview of the field of anthropology. It defines anthropology as the study of humankind everywhere and throughout time. The key fields of anthropology are discussed as archaeology, physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistics. Research methods used by anthropologists are described, including cultural immersion, human ecology studies, archaeological analysis, and linguistic analysis. Physical anthropological research methods focusing on human bones and remains are also summarized. The document contrasts anthropology with other social sciences and discusses concepts like culture, society, evolution, and postmodernism.
Anarchism is an ideology that refuses to die that originated from William Godwin and developed through syndicalism. The core themes of anarchism are anti-statism, belief in natural order, anti-clericalism, and support for economic freedom. Anarchism seeks a world without government through non-violent means and envisions an anarchist world as a surrealist world without authoritarian control.
Anthropology is the study of what it means to be human. It takes a holistic approach across four fields: archaeology studies how humans shape their material environments; physical anthropology examines human biological diversity and evolution; linguistic anthropology analyzes human language and communication; and cultural anthropology describes human cultures and learned knowledge systems. Together, these four fields seek to understand all aspects of human existence and behavior.
The document provides an overview of cultural geography of religion. It defines religion and discusses major world religions including their origins, divisions, and basic precepts. The major universalizing religions covered are Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. The major ethnic religions discussed are Hinduism and Judaism. Other ethnic Asian religions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Shintoism are also briefly mentioned.
The document summarizes the development of Greek city-states and provides details about Athens and Sparta. It describes how city-states emerged from villages built on mountains and islands. City-states were small, self-governing communities called poleis. Athens and Sparta were two prominent city-states that differed in their governments, cultures, and ways of life.
The cradle of civilization is a term referring to locations where, according to current archaeological data, civilization is understood to have emerged.
Current thinking is that there was no single "cradle", but several civilizations that developed independently; with the Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia and Egypt, understood to be the earliest.
This document summarizes the key topics and concepts related to the study of religion as a social institution. It defines religion and discusses its core structures, which include the sacred, beliefs, values, rituals, and experiences. It then examines the main functions of religion, such as providing answers to life's ultimate questions, offering mental peace and guidelines for living, promoting welfare, and influencing political systems. Finally, it outlines several important concepts used in the study of religion, such as the profane, secularization, cults, sects, and fundamentation.
This document discusses deviance and social control. It defines deviance as variations from social norms and expectations. While some deviance is normal, too much or extreme deviations can disrupt social order. Deviance performs functions like defining norms but can also have dysfunctions. Society uses internal and external social controls like sanctions to encourage conformity. Theories of deviance include strain theory, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionist perspectives like differential association theory and labeling theory.
The Persian Wars consisted of several key battles between 499-479 BCE when the Persians invaded Greece. The wars began with the Ionian Revolt when Greek cities rebelled against Persian rule. This led to the Battle of Marathon where the Athenians defeated the first Persian invasion force. The second invasion was larger, led by Xerxes, and included battles at Thermopylae, where Spartans heroically delayed the Persians, and Salamis, where the larger Persian navy was defeated by the Greeks. The final battle was Plataea, resulting in a Greek victory and ending the wars, leaving Athens as the dominant power in Greece.
Social control, Meaning of social control, Need of social control, Social control theory, Types of social control, Objectives and functions of social control, Social sanctions and its types, Reestablishing the OLD Social System, Regulation of Individual Social Behavior, Obedience to Social Decisions, To Establish Social Unity, To bring Solidarity, To bring Conformity in Society, To Provide Social Sanction, To Check Cultural Maladjustment, Direct social control, Indirect social control, positive or negative, physical or psychological, formal or informal, Combination
This document provides an overview of a sociology presentation on social stratification. It includes definitions of key terms like social stratification and discusses the basic principles of stratification. It then covers different historical forms of social stratification from early societies to modern industrialized societies. The major systems of stratification discussed include slavery, caste, estate, and class systems. Different group members then provide more details on concepts like caste vs class systems, the history and causes of slavery, how the estate system worked, and the composition of social classes.
INTRODUCTION, Definitions, Origin, Causes, Characteristics, IMPACTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION, FORMS OF STRATIFICATION, Health Sector, Education, Bounds Individual Actions, Specification of Social Roles, Societal laws, Whom Will Live Or Die, The Slavery System, The Estate System, The Caste System, The Class System, Structural-Functionalist Perspectives, Social-Conflict Perspectives, Multidimensional Perspectives, SOCIAL MOBILITY, Horizontal mobility, VERTICAL MOBILITY, Intragenerational mobility, Intergenerational mobility, Structural mobility, Positional mobility
This document provides an overview of social stratification. It begins with definitions of social stratification and discusses its origins and causes. The key forms of stratification discussed are the slavery system, estate system, caste system, and class system. The impacts of stratification on areas like health, education, and life chances are examined. The document also explores theoretical perspectives on stratification from structural functionalism and social conflict theory. It addresses how stratification is maintained through prejudice and discrimination and concludes with a discussion of social mobility.
7SOCIAL CLASS ANDINEQUALITY IN THEUNITED STATES Discover.docxalinainglis
7
SOCIAL CLASS AND
INEQUALITY IN THE
UNITED STATES
Discover Sociology 2E Custom Interactive E-book Edition William J. Chambliss, Daina Eglitis
Media Library
CHAPTER 7 Media Library
AUDIO
Inequality and the Economic Crisis
Hollywood’s American Dream
VIDEO
John Oliver on Income Inequality & Wealth
Perceptions of Wealth Inequality
Income Mobility
Economic Inequality
CQ RESEARCHER
Income Inequality
PACIFIC STANDARD MAGAZINE
Structural inequality and parental income
JOURNAL
Racial Stratification and Inequality
Higher Education and Income
Race and Desserts
Typology of American Poverty
p.155
IN THIS CHAPTER
Stratification in Traditional and Modern Societies
Sociological Building Blocks of Stratification and Social Class
Class and Inequality in the United States: Dimensions and Trends
The Problem of Neighborhood Poverty
Why Do Stratification and Poverty Exist and Persist in Class Societies?
Why Study Inequality?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
1. How equal or unequal is the distribution of income in the United States? What factors help explain income inequality?
2. What explains the existence and persistence of widespread poverty in the United States, one of the richest countries on earth?
3. Should the minimum wage be raised? What would be the costs of such an increase? What would be the benefits?
p.156
POVERTY AND PROSPERITY IN THE UNITED STATES
Melanie Stetson Freeman / Contributor/Getty Images
An article in a recent issue of Bloomberg Markets that reported on a growing demand among investors for trailer park properties in the United States profiled one such investor:
When Dan Weissman worked at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and, later, at a hedge fund, he didn’t have to worry about methamphetamine addicts chasing his employees with metal pipes. Or SWAT teams barging into his workplace looking for arsonists.
Both things have happened since he left Wall Street and bought five mobile home parks: four in Texas and one in Indiana. Yet he says he’s never been so relaxed in his life....
[He] attributes his newfound calm to the supply-demand equation in the trailer park industry. With more of the U.S. middle class sliding into poverty and many towns banning new trailer parks, enterprising owners are getting rich renting the concrete pads and surrounding dirt on which residents park their homes.
“The greatest part of the business is that we go to sleep at night not ever worrying about demand for our product.... It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.” (Effinger & Burton, 2014)
The decline of the U.S. middle class has wrought substantial consequences for millions of families. It has also, as the Bloomberg article suggests, opened new opportunities for others, including members of the upper class. The economic position of the middle class, particularly its less educated fraction, has been slowly declining since the 1970s, a process accelerated by the economic recession of 2007–2010, the effects of which are still felt in many families and co.
Social Stratificationhttpmaid-online.blogspot.c.docxwhitneyleman54422
Social Stratification
http://maid-online.blogspot.com
http://maid-online.blogspot.com
Social StratificationSocieties vary in the degree to which social groups have access to resources
Anthropologists study unequal access to 3 types of resources:
Wealth or economic resources
Power
Prestige
Social StratificationWealth is the the economic resources that have material value in a culture. They include such thing as land, tools, and other technologies, goods, and money
Power is the ability to make others do what they do not want to do. It may be physically enforced
Prestige occurs when someone is given respect or honor
StratificationAnthropologists define 3 types of societies in terms of access to social and economic advantages:
Egalitarian Societies
Rank Societies
Class Societies
Stratification: Egalitarian SocietiesEgalitarian societies contain no social group with greater or lesser access to economic resources, prestige, or power
Include foragers such as the !Kung, Mbuti, Inuit, and Australian Aborigines, as well as horticulturalists like the Yanomamo and pastoralists like the Lapps
Even in egalitarian societies, there are differences in age, gender, skills, and abilities
Egalitarian Societies
Egalitarian societies use several mechanisms to keep leaders from dominating others, including:
Criticism
Ridicule
Disobedience
Death
Or moving away from the self-appointed leader
Egalitarian Societies
http://users.stlcc.edu
Rank SocietiesRank societies are usually agricultural or pastoralist societies
Ranking occurs in groups equal access to economic resources or power but unequal access to prestige
Unequal access to prestige is often reflected in the position of chief
Rank SocietiesAmong the Nimpkish—a Kwakiutl group of Canada—the main way to improve one’s prestige involves giving away wealth
Tribal chiefs sponsor potlatches during which they give away gifts to every guest
This status of chief is usually hereditary
Rank Societies
Some researchers question whether chiefs might also have more material wealth, as well as prestige
The idea of economic equality in rank societies is beginning to be questioned
For instance, on the atoll of Ifaluk, chiefs received more gifts than they gave away. Similarly, they appeared to work a little less than others
Class Societies Class societies are found in every country
In class societies, there is unequal access to wealth, prestige, and power
www.latinamericanstudies.org
Class SocietiesIn class societies, social status or prestige of a family generally correlates with the occupation and wealth of the head of the family
http://adinkrafilms.blogspot.comThere is a high probability that most people will stay close to the class in which they were born and will probably marry within this class
Classes tend to perpetuate themselves through the inheritance of wealth
Class Societies
Identification with a social class begins early in life
Classes vary.
This document discusses key concepts related to social structure, social groups, and social stratification. It defines society as a group of people who share culture and territory. Social structure refers to typical patterns of relationships that guide and limit behavior. Social stratification ranks people in a hierarchy based on factors like status, power, and wealth. Social classes are groups of people who have similar property, power, and prestige. The document also discusses types of social groups like ethnic groups, and the consequences of social class on factors such as family life, education, and religion.
1. Social inequality exists when some groups in society have unequal access to resources, goods, and services compared to others.
2. Social inequality influences life chances and impacts factors like education, employment, health, and lifespan.
3. Social inequality can be seen between socioeconomic classes defined by wealth, power, and prestige. Society stratifies into hierarchical groups with some receiving greater rewards.
Class and stratification in the us finalcopySeth Allen
This document discusses social class and stratification in the United States. It begins by asking questions about the role of social class in people's lives and how many classes exist. It then discusses common myths about social class, such as the idea that there are only three classes or that class is solely determined by individual effort. The document goes on to define social stratification and different systems of stratification like slavery, caste systems, and class systems. It discusses measuring social class in the US using socioeconomic status and examines the consequences of social class on factors like health, family life, culture, politics, and religion. The document also covers poverty, feminization of poverty, and different theoretical perspectives on stratification like Marx's conflict theory
Social stratification refers to a society having different layers or groups of people with different statuses, power, prestige, and wealth. There are several systems of social stratification: slavery, where people are owned as property; estate systems with nobility and peasants; caste systems where social standing is determined at birth; and class systems where social standing is based on factors like education and wealth. The major dimensions of social stratification are political/power, economic, and social prestige.
This document discusses social stratification and social mobility in the United States. It defines stratification as a system that ranks social groups and perpetuates unequal rewards and power. It examines different stratification systems throughout history such as slavery, castes, estates, and social classes. It discusses sociological perspectives on stratification from functionalists, conflict theorists, and interactionists. It also discusses how stratification is measured objectively based on factors like occupation, education, income and how this determines one's social class.
This document discusses social stratification and the different systems that societies use to rank people in hierarchies. It covers 4 main types of stratification systems: slavery, estates, caste, and class. Slavery ranks people based on ownership, estates are based on feudal roles like nobility and peasants. Caste is a system where social rank is strictly determined by birth. Class systems developed with industrialization and rank people based on factors like income, wealth, education and occupation. The document also discusses how stratification is maintained through things like discrimination and prejudice, and how social mobility can occur between generations or positions.
This document discusses concepts of social stratification from sociological perspectives including functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. It outlines characteristics of stratification systems such as being social rather than biological, ancient, universal, and consequential in terms of life chances and lifestyle. Common bases or forms of stratification discussed include free and unfree populations, social class, caste, estate and status, occupation and income, race and ethnicity, ruling class, and administrative position.
1
Kinship and Descent
This week we’ll begin to talk about the ways in which people organize themselves in
social terms. We have talked a little about the way that social groups are linked to culture, but in
the next two weeks we’ll look at the way in which people form groups. We’ve look at who you
marry, who you live with, who you work with. Because of the importance of kinship as a basic
structuring principle in most human societies, we’ll begin with that topic.
Descent Groups, Residence, Kinship calculation
Especially in non-industrial societies, kinship, descent, and marriage are basic social,
economic, and political building blocks. Kinship entails rights, obligations, affection, childcare,
and inheritance.
Kin groups are social units whose membership can be charted and whose activities can be
observed. When anthropologists first began to study non-western groups through participant
observation, they spent a great deal of time defining kinship groups and recording their activities.
If you’re interested in seeing the details of kinship charting and relationships, take at look at the
website of Brian Schwimmer at the University of Manitoba:
http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/anthropology/tutor/kinmenu.html
For the truly nerdy, see Alan MacFarlane’s lectures on kinship at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLAru7a9Wo
MacFarlane is very old school, British social anthropology. I think his lectures are great, but
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLAru7a9Wo
2
some may find them a little dry. They contain much more information than is needed for our
purposes.
The descent group is a basic kin group among non-industrial food producers. Unlike
families, descent groups last for generations. There are several types of descent groups, such as
lineages and clans. Some descent groups are patrilineal, reckoning descent through male lines
only. Some are matrilineal, tracing descent only through the female line.
The nuclear family is a kin group consisting of a married couple and their unmarried
children. Nuclear families are widespread among the world’s cultures, but there are alternatives.
Other social forms, such as extended families and descent groups, may supplement or even
replace the nuclear family. The nuclear family is most important in foraging and industrial
societies.
In addition to kin groups, anthropologists also investigate how people in different
societies define and calculate kinship. Kinship terminologies are ways of dividing up the world
of kin relationships on the basis of perceived differences and similarities. Although perceptions
and classifications vary among cultures, comparative research shows that there are actually only a
few ways of doing it.
Kinship: A definition
Kinship describes a social relationship in which two or more people consider themselves
to have a strong social bond. That bond can be established in two ways. There are relationships
of consanguinity.
Concept Of Disparity I- Prof. Karishma Shetty Foundation Course Semester 1KarishmaShetty16
The document discusses various concepts related to social inequality and stratification, including disparity, social inequality, social stratification, caste system, class system, estate system, slavery, and gender inequality. It provides definitions and characteristics of each concept. Some of the key points covered include disparity referring to a lack of equality or unevenness, social inequality referring to unequal opportunities and rewards, social stratification involving a hierarchy that ranks groups in society, and the various principles and forms social stratification can take, such as caste, class, and estate systems.
Society is defined as a group of people involved in persistent social interaction, sharing the same territory and political authority. The document discusses the evolution of different types of societies from hunting and gathering to agricultural to industrial to postindustrial. It also examines kinship systems and how they define relationships through descent and marriage. Key kinship patterns discussed include Iroquois, Crow, Omaha, Eskimo, Hawaiian and Sudanese. The document also addresses social stratification, norms, roles, status and descent groups within societies.
These are the Slides for MA (Final year) Students of the Department of Social Work, University of Peshawar.
Course Title: Social Institutions and Social System of Pakistani Society
Dr. Imran Ahmad Sajid
Social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of social groups within a society based on factors like power, wealth, and prestige. While hierarchies vary between societies, most state-level cultures are stratified. Stratification involves dividing a society into layers with some groups having more advantages than others. Societies range from egalitarian with equal access for all, to ranked where prestige differs, to class-based societies with unequal access to economic and political power. The development of agriculture and conflicts over surplus production have been proposed as reasons for the emergence of social stratification.
Social stratification refers to a society's ranking of individuals and groups based on factors like wealth, income, race, and power. It results in an unequal distribution of resources throughout a society. Pakistani society exhibits social stratification through gender, religious, and economic inequalities. Theorists like Marx, Weber, Davis, and Moore analyzed social stratification and its causes from different perspectives, debating the role of class, power, prestige, and the functions of inequality.
This document discusses social class and inequality, including different systems of social stratification such as slavery, caste systems, and social class. It examines theories of social class from Marx, Weber, and Bourdieu. It also explores how socioeconomic status impacts life chances in areas like education, work, health, crime, and mobility between social classes.
This document discusses various aspects of social stratification including caste, class, and race. It begins by defining social stratification as the hierarchical arrangement of individuals based on factors like power, wealth, and social evaluation. The document then discusses the origins and evolution of social stratification from early hunter-gatherer societies to modern post-industrial societies. It also examines different historical stratification systems such as slavery, estates, castes, and classes. Theories of stratification like conflict theory, functionalism, and dependency theory are also summarized.
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
A workshop hosted by the South African Journal of Science aimed at postgraduate students and early career researchers with little or no experience in writing and publishing journal articles.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
How to Build a Module in Odoo 17 Using the Scaffold MethodCeline George
Odoo provides an option for creating a module by using a single line command. By using this command the user can make a whole structure of a module. It is very easy for a beginner to make a module. There is no need to make each file manually. This slide will show how to create a module using the scaffold method.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Main Java[All of the Base Concepts}.docxadhitya5119
This is part 1 of my Java Learning Journey. This Contains Custom methods, classes, constructors, packages, multithreading , try- catch block, finally block and more.
3. Some societies have customs or rules that give certain
social groups greater access to economic resources and
prestige. If the rules specifying such differential access
are not based on ability, age, or sex, anthropologists would
say that society is socially stratified. Some societies may
limit access only to prestige or status positions; others
may limit access to both economic resources and status
positions. Thus THREE TYPES OF SOCIETIES can be
distinguished:
3
4. Egalitarian Societies
Egalitarian societies have
no social groups with
greater access either to
economic resources or to
prestige; they are
unstratified
Rank Societies
Rank Societies do not
have unequal access to
economic resources, but
they do not have social
groups with unequal
access to prestige. Rank
societeis, then are
partially stratified.
Class/Caste societies
Class/Caste societies
have unequal access to
both economic resources
and prestige; they are
more completely stratified
4
Table 1 summarizes these three types of societies
5. TABLE 1: Stratification in Three Types of Societies
5
Some social groups have greater access to:
Type of Society Economic Resources Prestige
Egalitarian No No
Rank No Yes
Class/Caste Yes Yes
7. ◆ Can be found not only among hunter-gatherers, but
among horticulturalists and pastoralists
◆ Does not mean that all people within such societies
at her same
◆ There will always be differences among individuals
in age and sex and in such abilities or traits as
hunting skill, perception, health, creativity, physical
prowess, attractiveness, and intelligence
7
8. “
“There are many positions of prestige in
any given age-sex grade as there are
persons capable of dilling them” 1
8
Morton H. Fried
1 Morton H. Fred. The Evolution of Political Society New York: Random House, 1967, p33
9. For instance, if a person can achieve status by
fashioning fine spears and every person in the
society fashions such spears, then every person
acquires status as a spearmaker. If status is also
acquired by carving bones into artifacts and only
three people are considered expert carvers of bones,
then, only those three achieve status as carvers.
9
In an egalitarian society, the number of prestigious positions is adjusted to fit the number of
qualified candidates. We would say, therefore, that such a society is not socially stratified.
www.mutualart.com
10. Even in an egalitarian society, differential
prestige exists. But although some persons
may be better hunters or more skilled artists
than others, there is still equal access to status
positions for people of the same ability. Any
prestige gained by achievement of status as a
great hunter, for instance, is neither
transferable nor inheritable. Because a man is a
great hunter, it is not assumed that his sons
are also great hunters.
10
The egalitarian society keeps inequality at a minimal level
Status and Prestige
www.scitechdaily.com
11. Any differences in prestige that do exist are not related to
economic differences. Egalitarian groups depend heavily on
sharing, which ensures equall access to economic resources
despite differences in acquired prestige. For instance, in
some egalitarian communities, some members achieve
status through hunting. But even before the hun begins, how
the animal will be divided and distributed among the
members of the band has already been decided according to
custom. The culture works to separate the status achieved
by members-recognition as great hunters-from actual
possession of the wealth, which in this case would be the
slain animal
11
Status and Prestige
www.theguardian.com
12. Societies with age-sets – that is, groups of males
differentiated by age-can also be classified as
egalitarian. As each new age-set is established
among the young, each older group moves up a
notch, gaining more prestige and additional rights,
such as the right to marry, the right to go on raids,
the right to be councilmen or ritual leaders. The
inequalities by age at any one time are apparent,
but each age-set is automatically promoted so that
all rights, duties, and privileges ate available
equally to all men during their lifetimes.
12
http://darwinian-medicine.com/do-hunter-gatherers
14. ◆ Generally practice agriculture or herding, but not all
agricultural or pastoral societies ranked
◆ The position of the chief is at least partially
hereditary-usually the eldest son succeeded to the
position of chief, and different kinship groups were
differentially ranked according to their genealogical
distance from the chiefly line
14
15. Chiefs are often redistributors. Redistribution
of food by the chief often symbolizes that the
wealth is communally held. Although the chief
the chief may be desigated “owner” of the
land, people always retain the right to use the
land. In some Polynesian societies, for
instance, the chief was designated “manager”
of the labor of others. He saw to it that the
people did not neglect their fields or fail to
give food to be redistributed to the
community
15
http://scribal.com/the-origins-of-polynesia
16. SWAZI of South Africa
Hilda Kuper reports that the Swazi are a
horticultural people who invest their chief
with “ownership” of the land.2 The Staples of
their diet are maize and millet, produced
cooperatively by men and women. Farming
thus supplies the staple foods of Swazi,
although herding is more prestigious
occupation. Nevertheless, only 10 percent of
Swazi land is given over to cultivation; cattle
grazing claims 75 percent.
16
http://assets.itinnews.org/s3fs-
public/styles/responsive_medium/public/images/20
1301081314390787.jpg?itok=PSS2G_NW
Examples
2 Hilda Kuper, A South African Kingdom: The Swazi. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963
17. All Swazis, however, regardless of rank do the same kinds of work, live in the
same kinds of houses, and eat the same foods. The superior rank of the chief is
evident by many cows in his possession and by his right to organize work
parties. Sharing is principal way goods are distributed, and the chief shares (or
redistributes) more than others. A man who accumulates too many cattle is in
danger of public retaliation unless he shares them or lets others use them. If he
does not, he may be accused of witchcraft and his cattle may be killed and
eaten. This custom serves as a cultural means of preventing the accumulation
of wealth. Labor too is shared; for example, a work party from a particular age-
set might be called upon to help a family undertaking a construction job.
17
19. ◆ There is unequal access of prestige and also
characterized by unequal access to economic
resources
◆ Not every type of person of the same sex or age has
the same chance to obtain land, animals, money, or
economic benefits
19
21. A class is a category of
persons who have about the
same opportunity to obtain
economic resources and
prestige.
21
3 W.Lloyd Warmer and Paul S. Lunt. The Social Life of a Modern Community. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941
4 Robert S. Lynd and Helen Merrell Lynd. Midddletown., New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1937
22. Towns in America have been described as having as few as
two, and as many as eleven social classes, but generally
from four to six classes are recognized in Warner and Lunt’s
“Yankee City,” 99 percent of the city’s 17.000 inhabitants
were studied and classified over a period of several years.
Warner and Lunt concluded that six groups emerged
strongly enough to be called classes. They are summarized
by characteristic traits in Table 2
22
23. 23
Percentage of
Income
5%Percentage
of Population
Social Classes and characteristics traits
45% for top 20%
of the population
1.4% Upper upper
“Old Family”, usually possessing wealth, but sometimes poor, active
in charities, Episcopal or Congregational church, exclusive clubs,
endogamous
1.6 Lower upper Newly rich; imitate the U-U class and long to marry into that class
10.2 Upper middle
Professional men or storeowners; active in civic affairs; respectable;
long to be accepted by the groups above them, but almost never are
28.1 Lower middle
White collar worker; respectable homeowners, schoolteachers;
looked down upon by all above them. Some members of recently
integrated groups, such as Irish, Italians, French-Canadians, are this
group
32.6 Upper lower “poor but honest worker’, most of their income spent on food and rent
5% for bottom
20% of the
population
25.6 Lower lower
Thought by other classes to be lazy, shiftless, sexually proficient, and
promiscuous. In reality, they are simply poor
Summarize from W. Lloyd Warner and Paul S, Lunt. The Social Life of a Modern Community (New Haven : Yale University Press. 1941) p88
24. The way members of the highest and lowest classes perceive each other has also
been observed and recorded. Table 3 summarizes such perceptions as they were
revealed in a study of a town in the American South.
24
By upper-upper class By lower-lower class
“Old aristocracy” U-U
“Aristocracy,” but not “old” L-U “Society” or the “folks with money”
“Nice, respectable people” U-M
“Good people” but “nobody” L-M “Way-high-ups” but not “Society”
“Po’ whites” U-L “Snobs trying to push up”
L-L “People just as good as anybody”
TABLE 3: Perceptions of Social Classes
25. The people at the top grouped the bottom two classes
together and the people at the bottom grouped the top three
class together. This grouping suggests that the greater the
social distance between classes, the more likely is that a
group will lump together other groups farthest away in the
hierarchy. Groups tend, however, to distinguish between
other groups just above or just below themselves
25
26. A person’s identification with his or
her social class begins quite early in
life. The residence area chosen by our
parents, our church, school, school
curriculum, clubs, sports, college,
marriage partner, and occupation are
all influential in socializing us into a
particular class group.
26
27. Although social class in America is not fully determined by
birth, there us a high probability that most people will stay
within the class into which they were born and marry within
that class. Identification with a particular group and the roles of
that group begins in early childhood.
27
28. In contrast, the seven-year-old
daughter of a welthy businessman
may be assigned the role of
debutante-in-training. Her duties
could include learning to ride, to
play tennis, to play the piano, and
to conduct herself properly at
concerts and teas. Among her
priveleges would respect from the
servants of the house, a large
variety of choice foods, a room or a
suite of her own, private tutors.
28
Example
29. Class boundaries, though vague, have been
established by customs and tradition;
sometimes they have been reinforced by the
enactment of laws. Many of our laws deal with
protection of property and thus tend to favour
the upper and upper middle classes. The poor in
contrast, seem to be perennial losers in our
legal systems. The Crimes the poor are most
likely to commit are dealt with quite harshly in
our judicial system; and poor people rarely have
money to secure effective legal counsel.
29
31. ◆ An individual’s position is society is completely
ascribed or determined at birth
◆ Upward mobility is prohibited either by law or
custom or both, and marriage is restricted to
members of one’s own caste
◆ Caste is a closed class
31
32. 325 John Ruskin. “Of Kings’ Treasure.” In John D. Rosenberg, ed. The Genius of John Ruskin: Selections from His Writing. New York: George Braziller, 1963. pp. 296-314
33. 33 6 See Oscar Lewis with the assistance of Victor Barnouw, Village Life in Northen India. Urbana; University of Illimois Press, 1958
34. Who is to do the hard and dirty work for the
rest of society is clearly established: a large
group of untouchables forms the bottom of
the hierarchy. Among the untouchables are
sub-castes such as the Camars, or
leatherworkers, and the Bhangis, who are
sweepers. At the top of the hierarchy,
performing the pleasant and clean work of
priests, are the Brahmans. Between the two
extremes are literally thousands of castes
and subcastes. Each caste is tradionally
associated with an occupation.
34 http://indiafacts.org/book-summary-western-foundations-of-the-caste-system-i
35. In a typical village the potter makes clay drinking cups
and larger water vessels for the entire village population.
In return, the principal landowner gives him a house site
and supplies him twice yearly with grain. Some other
castes owe the potter their services: the barber cuts his
hair, the sweeper carries away his rubbish, the washer
washes his clothes, the Brahman performs his children’s
weddings. The barber serves every caste in the village
except the untouchables; he, in turn, is served by half of
the others. He has inherited the families he works for
along with his father’s occupation. He also receives a
house site from the principal landowner, at each harvest,
all the grain he can lift. All castes help at harvest and the
weddings for additional payment, which sometimes
includes a money payment
35
Example
http://indiafacts.org/book-summary-western-foundations-of-the-caste-system-i
36. This description is, in fact, an idealized picture of the caste
system of India. In reality, the system operates to the
advantage of the principal landowning caste-sometimes
the Brahmans and sometimes other castes. Also, it is not
carried on without some resentment; signs of hostility are
shown toward the ruling caste by the untouchables and
other lower castes. The resentment does not appear to be
against the caste system as such; instead, the lower
castes exhibit bitterness at their own low status and strive
for greater equality. For instance, one of the Camars’
traditional services is to remove dead cattle; in return,
they can have the meat to eat and the hide to tan for their
leatherworking. Since handling dead animals and eating
beef are both regarded as unclean acts, the Camars of one
village refused to continue this service. Thus, they lost a
source of free hides and food in a vain attempt to escape
unclean status.36
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Tired-of-burying-dead-
cows,-Dalits-go-on-strike-in-Gujarat-38746.html
37. Perpetuation of the caste system is ensured
by the power of those in the upper castes,
who derive three main advantages from their
position:
◆ Economic gain
◆ Gain in prestige
◆ Sexual gain
37
38. Economic gain
38
◆ Most immediately apparent .
◆ An ample supply of cheap labor and free services is
maintained by the threat of sanctions.
◆ Lower caste members may have their use of a house
site withdrawn;
◆ they may be refused access to the village well or
◆ to common grazing land for animals; or
◆ they maybe expelled from the village
42. 42
Anthropologists are not certain why social stratification
developed. Nevertheless, they are reasonably sure that
higher level of stratification emerged relatively recently in
human history. Archaeological sites until about 7.500 year
ago do not show any evidence of inequality. Houses do not
appear to vary much in size and content. And burials
seem to be more or less the same, suggesting that their
occupants were treated more or less the same in life
43. 43
The stratification is a relatively recent development is
also suggested by the fact that certain cultural features
associated with stratification also developed recently. For
example, most societies that are primarily dependent
upon agriculture or herding have social classes7.
7 Data from Robert B. Textor, comp., A Cross-Cultural Summary. New Haven: HRAF Press, 1967.
44. 44
Other recently developed cultural features associated
with class stratification include fixed settlement,
political integration beyond the community level, the use
of money as a medium of exchange, and the presence of
at least some full-time specialization.8
8 Data from Robert B. Textor, comp., A Cross-Cultural Summary. New Haven: HRAF Press, 1967.
46. 46
Despite of the fact that most class societies have an
enormous amount of inequality of opportunity, people
from more egalitarian societies tend to be attracted to
them. But there is probably also a “pull” factor- the
attractiveness of the rewards that are possible in more
stratified situations. The again, perhaps some of the
attractiveness of stratification comes from the awareness
that when more egalitarian societies have fought with
stratified societies have won out.
47. 47
After all, stratified societies are literally
more powerful, with large and dense
populations that can support the
exercise of great military force. So
perhaps one additional reason for the
reason of class society around the world
is that stratification is associated with
more security, even though access to
rewards is very unequal.
48. 1. Whereas sociologists contend that social stratification is universal because individual
inequalities exist in all societies, anthropologists argue that egalitarian societies do
exists, in the sense that there are societies in which access to economic resources and to
prestige and higher status is equally available to all in a particular age-sex category.
.
48
2. The presence or absence of customs or rules that give certain groups unequal access to
economic resources and prestige can be used to distinguish three types of societies.
Egalitarian societies have no unequal access either to economic resources or to prestige;
they are unstratified. Rank societies do not have unequal access to economic resources, but
they do not have unequal access to prestige. Rank societies, then are partially stratified.
Class/caste societies have unequal access to both economic resources and to prestige. They
are more completely stratified.
.
49. 3. However economic stratification came into existence, it ahs come to dominate the globe.
Economically stratified societies range from somewhat open class systems to caste
systems, which are extremely rigid, since caste membership is ascribed and fixed
permanently at birth.
49
4. Social stratification appears to have emerged relatively recently in human history. This
conclusion is based on archeological evidence and on the facet that a number of other
cultural features associated with stratification developed relatively recently.
50. Amber and Amber . Anthropology
Morton H. Fred. The Evolution of Political Society New York: Random House, 1967, p33
Hilda Kuper, A South African Kingdom: The Swazi. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963
W.Lloyd Warmer and Paul S. Lunt. The Social Life of a Modern Community. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941
Robert S. Lynd and Helen Merrell Lynd. Midddletown., New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1937
Robert S. Lynd and Helen Merrell Lynd. Midddletown., New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1937
John Ruskin. “Of Kings’ Treasure.” In John D. Rosenberg, ed. The Genius of John Ruskin: Selections from His Writing.
New York: George Braziller, 1963. pp. 296-314
Oscar Lewis with the assistance of Victor Barnouw, Village Life in Northen India. Urbana; University of Illimois Press,
1958
Robert B. Textor, comp., A Cross-Cultural Summary. New Haven: HRAF Press, 1967
BIBLIOGRAPHY