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Lecture 6

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Components of inequality

y Occupational Prestigeo Social value of occupationalo We attach status in ranking people in what they do/ as profession

Sociological Approaches to Stratification

Functionalism

y Social class is functional- its important for us to get by in the social worldo Davis Moore thesis (1945)o Social inequality serves important social function: Ex.We need garbage collectors in the

society.

y Critiqueso Social status is often hereditaryo Substantial discriminationo Market forceso Extreme

It is hard to tell social inequality in some societies, but in others it is veryextreme. ( Mansions -> Bridges)

Sociological Approaches to Stratification

Conflict Theory

y Social classes are part of our life (manifestation conjunction) between the haves and the havenots.

y Max Webero Critiqued Marxs sole focus on economic productiono Social class is multidimensionalo Class, Status groups and part

y Social classes reproduce itselfSymbolic Interactionism

y How people interpret and construct their responses to class inequalityy Consider how people use and respond to status symbols

Feminist Theory

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Contributing factors

y Gendero Women continue to earn less than men, feminization of poverty

y Ageo Teens and early 20s most likely to live in poverty

y Family structureo Lone-mother headed families second highest poverty rate.

y Educationo More education you have, less likely you are to be in poverty

y Minority Statuso Significant wage gap between white and non0white workers

y Work Statuso Most obvious predictor of poverty

y Locationo Urban versus rural and Province

Global Inequality

Kuznets Curve (Fig 7.4)

Richest 10% of the global population earns 50% of the worlds wealth

Queens Power (Crown Power)

Canada scored as 23rd

Sex & Gender Inequality

Sex

y Biologically rooted; describes our physical bodies whereby distinguished between male andfemale

y Categorized based on binaries implying diametrical opposites opposite sexGender

y Socially constructed characteristics associated with girls and boys, men and women.y Masculinity and femininity

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Problematizing sex/gender distinction

y Intersexed individualsy Born with ambiguous genitaliay How do we decide who is male and who is female?y Transvestite and transsexual individuals

o Transendero Transsexualo Transvestite

y Masculinityo Hegemonic Masculinity (Message produced by media about masculinity)

Ideal of masculinity that mean are supposed to strive to achieve Derives from Gramsci Irrevocably tied to heterosexuality

y Femininityo Emphasized Femininity

Based on womens compliance with their subordination to men Requires women to be supportive, enthusiastic And sexually attractive

y ReproducingGender: Familieso Familieso Gender Expectations begin at birtho Child-rearing practices are deeply genderedo Parents spend more time talking to girls while leaving boys alone; punish their sons

more often than daughters

o Gendered division of household laboury ReproducingGender: Education

o Educationo Hidden curriculum; girls learn that they are not as important as boyso Teachers interact with boys more than girls in classroomo Praise girls for being congenial and neat while boys praised for intellectual qualityo Chilly Climate

y ReproducingGender: Mediao Gender divisions reflected in and reinforced by all forms of mediao Television shows

Black mean tend to be portrayed as frightening scary characters Reality television: glorifies competitive cutthroat behavior Commercials Talk shows

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Gendered Bodies

y How we present our bodies, efforts to shape them and how we interpret others bodies are allaccomplished socially

y Television shows/networks directed at helping individuals achieve beauty idealsy Plastic surgery normalized

y Dramatic increase in number of employed womenGendered labour force

y Occupations segregated into mens and womans jobsy Women hold more lower-paying jobs than meny Greater proportion of part-time workers (increase of 100% between 1976 and 2000)y Women represent 70& of work full time