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Book No. – 17 (Sociology)
Book Name – Sociology (Yogesh Atal)
What’s Inside the Chapter? (After Subscription)
1. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
2. THE CONCEPT OF STRATIFICATION
3. THEORIES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
3.1. FORMULATION OF KARL MARX (1818-83)
3.2. COUNTER THEORY OF MAX WEBER (1864-1920)
3.3. FUNCTIONALIST INTERPRETATION
4. SOCIETAL DIVIDERS
4.1. DIFFERENTIATION ON THE BASIS OF ASCRIPTION
4.2. DIFFERENTIATION ON THE BASIS OF ACHIEVEMENT CRITERIA
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LANGUAGE
Social Stratification: Theories and Related Concepts
Yogesh Atal
Chapter – 14
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
- Sociologists and social anthropologists observe that social inequality is a universal feature across societies.
- Even proponents of equality acknowledge existing inequalities and advocate for an egalitarian society as a desirable ideal, not a current reality.
- In all societies—whether simple or complex—power, prestige, and property (and all forms of wealth) are unevenly distributed.
- The disparities are rooted in both biological and sociological differences.
- Biological differences include:
- Age groups (infants to elderly)
- Genders (male, female, transvestites, and eunuchs, though censuses often group the third category with males)
- Races and ethnic groups
- Health statuses (healthy, sick, physically challenged)
- These biological differences are also culturally evaluated and ranked.
- Sociological differences are expressed in terms of status positions and their rank order in specific social contexts or sub-systems.
- The ranking of inequality in society is referred to as social stratification.
- The study of social stratification includes exploring theories, associated concepts, and concrete systems of stratification like classes and the caste system.