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SOCIAL STRATIFICATION Edited by Dr SocialStratification DSOC202 Edited By Dr. Sukanya Das SOCIAL STRATIFICATION Edited By Dr. Sukanya Das Printed by USI PUBLICATIONS 2/31, Nehru Enclave, Kalkaji Ext., New Delhi-110019 for Lovely Professional University Phagwara CONTENT Unit 1: Understanding Social Stratification 1 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 2: Basic Concepts Relating to Stratification 13 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 3: Theories of Social Stratification-I 31 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 4: Theories of Social Stratification-II 47 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 5: Forms of Social Stratification 70 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 6: Caste 96 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 7: Class 117 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 8: Race and Ethnicity 166 Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 9: Gender and Stratification 175 Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 10: Women's Empowerment 202 Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 11: Social Mobility 230 Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 12: Mobility in Closed and Open Systems of Stratification 249 Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 13: Changing Dimensions of Social Stratification 257 Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 14: Emergence of Middle Class System 295 Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University SYLLABUS Social Stratification Objectives 1. To familiarize the student about the concept of social stratification. 2. To familiarize the students about the changing dimensions of social stratification and about the concept of social mobility. Sr. No. Description 1 Understanding Social Stratification: Concept, Characteristics, Basic concepts relating to stratification 2 Theories of Social Stratification I: Theoretical formulations of Davis & Moore, Parsons 3 Theories of Social Stratification II: Theoretical formulations of Karl Marx and Max Weber 4 Forms of Social Stratification: Caste, Class, Gender, Social Stratification in Urban and Industrial Settings 5 Caste: Concept, features of caste system, caste system as a system of stratification 6 Class: Concept and as system of stratification, Class and mobility: Occupation and mobility 7 Race and Ethnicity: Race, Racial group, ethnic groups, minority & majority relations 8 Gender and Stratification: Gender as basis of stratification, Patriarchy and the Subordination of Women, women’s empowerment 9 Social Mobility: Determinants, Patterns of Mobility in Caste and Class; Mobility in closed and open systems of stratification; 10 Changing Dimensions of Social Stratification: Emerging patterns of social stratification in India, Emergence of Middle Class system Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University Unit 1: Understanding Social Stratification Unit 1: Understanding Social Stratification Notes CONTENTS Objectives Introduction 1.1 Concept of Social Stratification 1.2 Meaning and the Characteristics of Social Stratification 1.3 Summary 1.4 Key–Words 1.5 Review Questions 1.6 Further Readings Objectives After studying this unit students will be able to: • Understand the Concept of Social Stratification. • Explain the Meaning and the Characteristics of Social Stratification. Introduction Stratification is a hierarchy of positions with regard to economic production which influences the social rewards to those in the positions. In sociology, social stratification is a concept involving the “classification of people into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions ... a relational set of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions.” When differences lead to greater status, power or privilege for some groups over the other it is called Social Stratification. It is a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy Social stratification is based on four basic principles : (1) Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences; (2) Social stratification carries over from generation to generation; (3) Social stratification is universal but variable; (4) Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs as well. In modern Western societies, stratification is broadly organized into three main layers : upper class, middle class, and lower class. Each of these classes can be further subdivided into smaller classes (e.g. occupational). These categories are particular to state-based societies as distinguished from feudal societies composed of nobility-to-peasant relations. Stratification may also be defined by kinship ties or castes. For Max Weber, social class pertaining broadly to material wealth is distinguished from status class which is based on such variables as honor, prestige and religious affiliation. Talcott Parsons argued that the forces of societal differentiation and the following pattern of institutionalized individualization would strongly diminish the role of class (as a major stratification factor) as social evolution went along. It is debatable whether the earliest hunter- gatherer groups may be defined as ‘stratified’, or if such differentials began with agriculture and broad acts of exchange between groups. One of the ongoing issues in determining social stratification arises from the point that status inequalities between individuals are common, so it becomes a quantitative issue to determine how much inequality qualifies as stratification. LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 1 Social Stratification Notes 1.1 Concept of Social Stratification The concept of social stratification is interpreted differently by the various theoretical perspectives of sociology. Proponents of action theory have suggested that since social stratification is commonly found in developed societies, hierarchy may be necessary in order to stabilize social structure. Talcott Parsons, an American sociologist, asserted that stability and social order are regulated, in part, by universal value although universal values were not identical with “consensus” but could as well be the impetus for ardent conflict as it had been multiple times through history. Parsons never claimed that universal values in and by themselves “satisfied” the functional prerequisites of a society, indeed, the constitution of society was a much more complicated codification of emerging historical factors. The so-called conflict theories, such as Marxism, point to the inaccessibility of resources and lack of social mobility found in stratified societies. Many sociological theorists have criticized the extent to which the working classes are unlikely to advance socioeconomically; the wealthy tend to hold political power which they use to exploit the proletariat intergenerationally. Theorists such as Ralf Dahrendorf, however, have noted the tendency toward an enlarged middle-class in modern Western societies due to the necessity of an educated workforce in technological and service economies. Social stratification is a universal phenomenon, an unavoidable feature of all human societies, though found in different forms and degrees. Individuals, positions and groups are differentiated based on specific norms and criteria in a given society. The norms and criteria on the basis of which people are differentiated evolve over a period of time. Based on the nature of a society, its culture, economy and polity, stratification could be simple and less elaborate, or it could be complex and more elaborate. The considerations in stratification in a society could be achievements of an individual member, or of his/her family or community or of all the three in different ways and in different permutations and combinations. The units ranked in a society could therefore be an individual, a family, and a group or all the three in different contexts and situations or in conjunction with one another. No system of stratification is static/stable for ever. Even rigid systems of stratification based on caste, race, ethnicity and estate are changing quite perceptibly. Flexibility in norms and criteria of social stratification is being considered today as an indicator of progress, development, equality and social justice. Old systems of social stratification are, however, being transformed and replaced by the new norms and criteria of social ranking. Thus, the study of social stratification involves the understanding of ideology, structure and process as parameters of inequality and its dynamics. Ideology implies values, norms and criteria on the basis of which units are ranked as higher and lower, superior and inferior. Structure refers to the totality of units ranked, and process indicates the changes which occur in the ideology and structure of social stratification. Structural-Functional Viewpoint Melvin M. Tumin defines social stratification as the arrangement of any social group or society into a hierarchy of positions that are unequal with regard to power, property, social evaluation, and/or psychic gratification. Normally, power, property (class) and social evaluation (status and prestige) are considered as the most important bases of determination of position in a given society. Max Weber refers to “class, status and party” as three important “orders” of society, namely, economic, social and political, in allocation of positions, duties and responsibilities. In the 2 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY Unit 1: Understanding Social Stratification similar way, Talcott Parsons regards social stratification as the differential ranking of the human Notes individuals
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