Sociology Poverty and Stratification - 812 Words

Living with a poverty level income is a difficulty facing many people around the world; poverty is a cultural universal, or trait found in every known culture – not an expression of individual differences. The most basic explanation for this is the trend towards social stratification, the system by which society organizes itself into a hierarchy. In some cultures this is manifest in the form of a caste system in which people who are in poverty have little to no chance of escaping it. In the United States the system is more in the form of a class system in which there is at least some degree of social mobility, and less status consistency allows people in poverty to have the possibility of changing their social status, but rarely the†¦show more content†¦In most cases U.S. citizens who are in poverty are in relative poverty in relation to the rest of the U.S. population; whereas in the world as a whole a greater number of people are in absolute poverty and are barely able to survive on their income, or wages and earnings, and they have very little to no wealth since it is impossible to save any of their money. Ethnocentrism makes it difficult to obtain a clear picture of the conditions of poverty and inequality in other nations and cultures. There are many theories concerning the causes and solution for poverty in the global economy. The two major theories are the modernization theory which explains inequality in terms of technological and cultural difference between nations, and the dependency theory which explains poverty in terms of the historical exploitation of poor, or low-income, nations by rich, or high-income, nations. This theory has manifest itself in a new way in today’s world in the form of neocolonialism; economic exploitation by multinational corporations. Race and ethnicity is key factor to poverty in the U.S. since an African-American is three times more likely to be in poverty than a non-Hispanic white. People with diffe rent ethnic backgrounds may experience alienation, or discrimination as a result of their differences with the people around them. Blaming the victim is a common explanation for poverty, but it doesn’t stand up to scrutiny since there are countless factorsShow MoreRelatedSociology Is The Scientific Study Of Society And Human Behavior895 Words   |  4 Pagesto the Marriam Webster dictionary, the simple definition of sociology is â€Å"the study of society, social institution, and social relationships. Based on the textbook, â€Å"sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior† (G-6). Through the two definitions, one can deduce that the study of Sociology is a discipline that explains and analysis the human culture in terms of their social relationships and social institutions. Sociology is a study that explains the social world which human beingsRead MoreThe Battle with Social Class773 Words   |  4 Pagessystem of social stratification, the hierar chy creates specific types of social inequalities. Social inequality refers to the existence of social inequalities created such as ownership, types of occupation that creates differences in wealth, income and power, while social stratification refers to the existence of social groups. Class can be arranged to economic factors such as income, education, wealth and other factors at work. Poverty remains high and could argue that true poverty cannot exist inRead MoreSocial Stratification1589 Words   |  7 PagesASSESS THE APPLICABILITY OF THE CONFLICT THEORY IN EXPLAINING STRATIFICATION. ‘Stratification’ is a term used to characterize a structure of inequality where individuals occupy differentiated structural positions and the positions are situated in layers (or strata) that are ranked hierarchically according to broadly recognized standards .( Durlauf 1999) The conflict theory in relation to social stratification argues that stratification,†reflects the distribution of power in society and is thereforeRead MoreA Theoretical Review Of Global Stratification913 Words   |  4 PagesMolly Hartlage Professor Michelle Crist Sociology 1010, Introduction to Sociology 11 December 2015 A Theoretical Review of Global Stratification Global stratification is defined as social inequality throughout the world. It is an unequal distribution of wealth and poverty, of resources and opportunities. Global stratification is much greater than social stratification in the United States or in any single nation and continues to increase. The poorest people in the United States have a much higherRead MoreSocial Stratification According to Marx and Weber1163 Words   |  5 PagesSocial stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of individuals into divisions of power and wealth within a society. Social stratification relates to the socio-economic concept of class, consisting of the upper class, middle class, and lower class. Each class may be further subdivided into smaller classes through the main indicator is occupation. This is the most practical and most effective means of encompassing the wide variety of economic and social elements that go to make up a person’sRead MoreSocial Stratification Is A Society Wide System949 Words   |  4 Pages What is Social Stratification? Social Stratification refers to a society’s categorization of it’s people in to rankings from middle, lower, and upper class. Many aspects referring to social standings reflects ones wealth, income, race, and education. In most cases the higher your social class the more opportunities are available to you. For instance, think of it as a pyramid. The people who have wealth, power, and prestige, represent the top layer of the social stratification while other groupsRead MoreThe Conflict Between Personal Experience And The Wider Society910 Words   |  4 Pagesrelationship between personal experience and the wider society†. Simply put, it is the ability to interpret situations and circumstances in terms of social context and understand how they interact and influence each other. Different paradigms of sociology exist to explain the ongoing social issues and their factors, and offer solutions for a more evolved society. Contrary to popular association of homelessness with drugs, alcohol, violence and crime, it is not always an outcome of laziness or wrongRead MoreBaltimore Riots : Option 1992 Words   |  4 Pagescontributor, this riot was more about social injustice and class stratification. Furthermore, these riots show that even though the carnage is localized to one city, and sometimes even just a few blocks, the repercussions can ripple countrywide. Finally, within sociology, there are many theories as to why social deviance happen, this event happens to intersect two major ones, functional analysis and conflict theory. In Interest of Sociology The riots in Baltimore, Maryland hold major sociological implicationsRead MoreSocial Stratification And The Caste System Essay1342 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Stratification Social stratification is an important component of society, as it helps individuals determine their proper place in society by creating a form of social hierarchy (Larkin, 2015). Many analysis use the social stratification system to help determine the inequalities, and this system of organization is found in every society across the world, though it will differ from one society to another (Larkin, 2015). Sociologists group different and diverse people into different levelsRead Morecauses of social stratification in named caribbean society809 Words   |  4 PagesDescribe the causes of social stratification in the Caribbean countries. In every known human society there is form of social inequality. This system was derived from events that took place some years ago. Social stratification can be class under the system of Plantation System and Social Mobility. According to Jenniffer Mohammed- Caribbean studies (2011). This rank or position in the social hierarchy is the lowest stratification occupied by the poorest groups