1. SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Second Semester
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2. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Refers to
the hierarchical arrangement of
individuals into divisions of power
and wealth within a society.
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3. STRATIFICATION
“the society is divided into numbers
of strata or layers”
• In complex societies, inequality is
viewed in terms of the distribution
of scarce goods.
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4. STRATIFICATION
– is the structured ranking of entire
groups of people that perpetuates
unequal economic rewards and
power in a society.
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5. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
• Ascribed Status – a social position that is
assigned to a person by society without regard
for the person’s unique talents or characteristics.
• Achieved Status – is a social position attained
by a person largely through his or her own
efforts.
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6. SOCIOLOGIST’S VIEW ON
STRATIFICATION
• Social inequality - refers to a situation in
which individuals in a society do not have
equal social status.
• Point to differences in advantages based
on sex, age, or ability.
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7. ANTHROPOLOGIST’S VIEW ON
STRATIFICATION
• what is universal is human inequality but
not social stratification
• all social groups in a particular age-sex
level in the society have equal access to
economic resources and equal
opportunities to obtain prestige.
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8. STRATIFICATION
In stratification, People are ranked according to:
• Wealth – how much of the resources of society are
owned by certain individuals.
- includes income and properties
- it is an element of social stratification
• 6.Prestige – degree of honor one’s position evokes.
- is an element of status
• Power – the degree to which one directs, manages, or
dominates others
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10. VIEWS ON SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• Conservative View:
** it maintains the position that inequality is deeply rooted
in the law of nature. By nature, human beings are
perceived to be selfish and greedy.
• Liberal View:
** society is to blame for the selfishness and greediness
of people because it allowed them to struggle and
compete with others for scarce resources.
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11. ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
•Class
•Status
•Power
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12. ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• CLASS – division of people in society by their
relationship to the means of production. (Carl Marx)
- class referred to a group of people exhibiting
the same lifestyles because of similar economic positions
in society, i.e., by the goods they possess and the
chances available to them to improve their income.
(Max Weber)
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13. CLASS
• social class refers to a group of people
who are similarly situated in terms of
property owned, occupation held, income
acquired, educational degrees attained,
and lifestyles exhibited, and are therefore
differentiated from others.
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14. ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• 9.Status - refers to the social position
that an individual occupies in society.
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15. ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• Power - refers to the ability of an individual to get other
people to do "what he wants them to do with or without
their consent“.
• Weber divided power into personal and social.
Personal power - refers to the individual's freedom to
direct his own life as he chooses.
Social power - is the ability of an individual to make
decisions that can affect the entire community.
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16. KINDS OF STRATIFICATION
SYSTEM
• Closed Society – individual is born
into a specific stratum and therefore
one's occupation is determined by the
family affiliation. An individual has no
opportunity therefore for socio-
economic mobility.
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17. CLOSED SOCIETY
• Castes - a hereditary rank, usually
religiously dictated, that tends to be
fixed and immovable.
• E.g. Dons – the one working in
cremating bodies.
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18. KINDS OF STRATIFICATION
SYSTEM
• Estate System – members are allowed to
certain degree of mobility.
- social positions are ranked according to
their functions.
* Nobility
* Clergy (millitary)
* Peasants
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19. KINDS OF STRATIFICATION
SYSTEM
• Open Society
Characteristics:
* Though classes exist, they are not
institutionalized, as in the case of the caste and
estate systems.
* Though class boundaries are unclear and people
do not show excessive class consciousness,
inequality due class divisions is apparent.
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20. OPEN SOCIETY
* Though status is usually achieved,
their evidence, however, that status
tends to be ascribed to the lowest and
highest social classes.
* Social mobility if possible and
frequently occurs.
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21. APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• Lifestyle Approach – the focus of the study is
to determine the lifestyle of various classes and
therefore addresses the following points:
* recreational activities
* material possessions
* organizational affiliations
* schools attended
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22. APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• Reputational Approach – this
addresses the following points:
* people they know in the community
* residence type of the respondents
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23. APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• Subjective Approach - it is basically concerned
with ranking oneself. It is possible that
respondent do not have any idea of social
stratification.
• Objective Approach - The interviewer provides
categories, like income, occupation, and
educational attainment of the respondents.
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24. APPROACHES IN THE STUDY OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
• Occupation Prestige Approach -
The focus is on occupation that
brings prestige and honor to a
person.
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25. THANK YOU…
Prepare for a quiz next
meeting…
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