SOCIOLOGY SOCIAL DIFFERENTIATION AND SOCIAL STRATIFICATION - PowerPoint Presentation

1. SOCIOLOGYSOCIAL DIFFERENTIATION AND SOCIAL STRATIFICATIONSUSMITA ROY27.09.21

2. Social Stratification vs Social DifferentiationThe difference between social stratification and social differentiation is subtle as they both are closely related terms. When speaking of the society, and also in the discipline of sociology, you may have heard of the terms, social stratification and social differentiation. In the society, people are categorized based on their income, occupation, social status and other factors. This categorization is referred to as social stratification. Social differentiation, on the other hand, refers to the distinction of individuals and groups based on various factors such as biological, socio-economic differences, which leads to the allocation of specific roles and status in the society. Through this article let us examine the differences between these two concepts in depth.

3. What is Social Stratification?If we pay attention to the society, people are divided and categorized into different groups based on their income, wealth, occupation, status, and similar factors. This is known as social stratification. According to the wealth, occupation, and the status of a particular individual he is placed in a social class. Social stratification can be seen in all societies whether it is a very modern society or else a traditional society. This is a resultant of social inequality.When we observe the modern society, there are mainly three social classes. They are the upper class, the middle class, and the lower class. Although this model is adopted in most societies, in the past, there were other models of social stratification. For example, in Asia, people were stratified based on the caste system.

4. In the discipline of Sociology, Social stratification is one of the key topics that is being addressed about social inequality. Karl Marx and Max Weber presented a theoretical framework with which social stratification can be comprehended. According to Marx, the society is stratified into two classes in all societies. He looks at each society as a mode of production. In each case, there are two groups, the haves, and the have-nots. He believed that the economy was the most important factor in creating and sustaining social inequality and stratification. Weber’s ideas, on the other hand, are a bit different. He believed that other than the economic factor, there are other factors that influence social stratification. He presented three main factors. They are the class, power, and status.

5. What is Social Differentiation?Social differentiation refers to the distinction between individuals or social groups based on various factors such as biological and socio-economic differences based on which the individual or group is allocated to different roles and status in the society. Social differentiation results in inequality, stratification and even certain ideologies and power differentials.In sociology, different types of differentiations are introduced. Some of these types are stratificatory differentiation, functional differentiation, segmentary differentiation, etc. Various sociologists such as Durkheim, Simmel, Luhmann have been interested in the study of social differentiation. The key connection between social differentiation and social stratification is that social differentiation can lead to social stratification. For example, the difference between males and females results in an unequal treatment for the two sexes. This stratification in society is a consequence of differentiation.

6. Social Stratification and Social Mobility:Social mobility refers to the movement within the social structure, from one social position to another. It means a change in social status. All societies provide some opportunity for social mobility. But the societies differ from each other to extent in which individuals can move from one class or status level to another.It is said that the greater the amount of social mobility, the more open the class structure. The concept of social mobility has fundamental importance in ascertaining the relative “openness” of a social structure. The nature, forms, direction and magnitude of social mobility depends on the nature and types of social stratification. Sociologists study social mobility in order to find out the relative ‘openness’ of a social structure.Any group that improves its standard will also improve its social status. But the rate of social mobility is not uniform in all the countries. It differs from society to society from time to time. In India the rate of mobility is naturally low because of agriculture being the predominant occupation and the continuity of caste system as compared to the other countries of the world.

7. Types of Social Mobility:In social stratification the movement occurs in three directions.(a) From lower to higher(b) From higher to lower(c) Between two positions at the same level.Social mobility is of two types:(i) Vertical mobility(ii) Horizontal mobilityVertical mobility:It refers to the movement of people from one stratum to another or from one status to another. It brings changes in class, occupation and power. It involves movement from lower to higher or higher to lower. There are two types of vertical mobility. One is upward and other is downward mobility.

8. When an individual moves from lower status to higher status, it is called upward mobility. For example, if the son of a peon joins a bank as an officer, it is said to be upward social mobility but if he loses the job due to any other reason or inefficiency, he is downwardly mobile from his previous job. So downward mobility takes place when a person moves down from one position to another and change his status.(ii) Horizontal Mobility:It refers to the movement of people from one social group to another situated on the same level. It means that the ranks of these two groups are not different. It indicates change in position without the change in status. For example, if a teacher leaves one school and joins another school or a bank officer leaves one branch to work in another or change of residence are the horizontal mobility.Apart from the above two broad types of social stratification, there are two other types of social stratification in terms of dimension of time. They are:(i) Inter-generational mobility:When changes in status occur from one generation to another, it is called intergenerational mobility. For example, if the son changes his status either by taking upon occupation of higher or lower rank with that of his father, there inter-generational mobility takes place.

9. (ii) Intra-generational mobility:When changes in status occur within one generation, it is called intra-generational mobility. For example, the rise and fall in the occupational structure of a family which leads to change in its social status within one generation is called intra-generational mobility.Stratification and Caste:Under the caste system status is hereditary. It is based on birth, it is purely an ascribed status. Once such positions are assigned, they can not advance and improve their social status in any way. Hence, caste as a major type of social stratification does not facilitate vertical social mobility.Social Stratification and Class:Class is an “open” system. Under this system vertical mobility is absolutely free. Movement from one status to another has no barrier. Status is based on achievement. It is determined by the talents, wealth, money, intelligence, power, education, income, etc. of a person. There is no inheritance of parental status.

10. Gender:Like caste and class gender is another kind of social stratification system. Gender, perhaps is the oldest and permanent source of social differentiation. But within the broad hierarchy of caste and class, gender cuts across caste and class. In present day Indian society caste, class and gender are dynamic phenomena which vary between groups, communities and regions. Recent years have witnessed a thorough and widespread discussion on gender. It has claimed critical address within ender as a concept and as a set of practices has occurred during the last three decades.The origin of the concept gender can be traced to the 19th century women’s movement and in Marxism. But it seems to have first appeared among American Feminists who wanted to reject biological determinism. Feminists prefer the term gender than sex.But the term gender means much more than sex and more inclusive than sex. It is a socially constructed category rather than biologically determined. The gender of a man is masculine and a woman is feminine. Neither a man nor a woman is sex alone. Gender refers to the socially constructed and culturally determined role that men and women play in their day-to-day lives. Gender is the most potent significant and enormously useful analytical concept used by the feminists.

11. It is a matter of social ascription, a socio-cultural construction and provided a deeper analysis of inequalities existing between male and female. It refers to the social institutionalization of sexual difference. In feminist literature gender is not a value free concept rather a value loaded term and has acquired new dimensions. It is a conceptual tool for analysis and is used to highlight different structural relationships of inequality between men and women. As a socially constructed differences and relations between males and females it very from time to time and from place to place.Gender is defined as the social construction of relations between women and men and among various groups of women and men. Feminist consider gender as the socio-cultural manifestation of being a man or a woman.

12. According to N. Kabeer “Gender is seen as the process by which individuals who are born into biological categories of male or female become the social categories of men and women through the acquisition of locally defined attributes of masculinity and feminity.”(2) According to A. Masefield—”Gender can be defined as a notion that offers a set of frameworks within which the social and ideological construction and representation of differences between sexes are explained.”(3) According to ILO, “Gender refers to the social differences and relations between men and women, which are learned, which vary widely among societies and cultures and change over time.”Thus, gender involves power structure and economic relationships. It is used to analyze the role, responsibilities, constraints, needs of men and women in all areas. It encompasses the social division and cultural distinctions between women and men. It plays an important role in shaping institutions and practices in every society.

13. Gender and Sex:The term gender does not replace the term sex. It is necessary to distinguish between sex and gender. The distinction between sex and gender is fundamental, since many differences between males and females are not biological in origin. Sex refers to the physical differences of body where as gender refers to social, cultural and psychological differences between males and females.Sex refers to biological differences between male and female which are much more the same over time and space where as gender refers to socially and culturally constructed differences and relations between males and females which vary from place to place and from time to time. Sex refers to male and female where as gender refers to masculinity and feminity. Gender is a structural feature of a society.

14. What are the Functions of Social StratificationFor the proper functioning of society, it has to work out some mechanism by which people engaged in different occupations get different recognition. If each activity is associated with same type of economic returns and prestige, there will be no competition for different occupations.Stratification is that system by which different positions are hierarchically divided. Such a system has given rise to different classes like Upper, Middle, Working and Lower or caste groups like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. The importance of stratification can be seen with regard to the functions it performs for the individual and society.1. For the Individual: No doubt system of stratification is applicable to the whole society yet it serves some functions for the individual also.

15. Competition: Individuals based on their attributes compete with each other and only those individuals who have better attributes get greater recognition. This may be in the field of sports, education, occupation etc.Recognition of Talent: The persons with more training skills, experience and education are given better positions. The deserving individuals are not treated at par with deserving candidates. Such a system helps people to acquire better talents.Motivation: The system of stratification motivates the individuals to work hard so that they can improve upon their social status. It is more true in case of those societies in which statuses are achieved.Job Satisfaction: As the jobs are given to the individuals according to their skills and education, the workers get job satisfaction. In case, a person with higher qualification is not allowed to move higher in the social ladder, he feels dissatisfied with his job.Mobility: The system of achieved status also provides an opportunity for upward and downward mobility. Those persons who work hard and are intelligent move up in the social ladder. On the other hand, those who fail to come up to the expectations move downward. Hence, the possibility of change in the position keeps the people always alert and makes them work hard.

16. Functions for the Society: The system of social stratification is also useful for the progress and the well-being of the society. This can be seen if we take into account two forms of stratification.Ascriptive Form of Stratification: Under the caste system, the status of the individual is fixed at birth and different castes are hierarchically arranged. However, even within the caste system those members who perform their caste roles effectively and efficiently occupy higher’ status. On the other hand, those members who do not perform their role properly occupy lower status even when they belong to the same caste. This functional base has given rise to sub castes. In other words, one caste is further divided into different sub castes and these sub castes are hierarchically divided within a caste group.

17. Fixation of status of a caste group also facilitates better training of the members. As the members are made aware about the future roles, they start getting training from the childhood. Such a situation was more applicable in the traditional societies where knowledge was foil knowledge and it could be acquired through membership of a caste group.In this way we find that under ascriptive form of stratification, society was being well-served and there was interdependence of the caste because of the specialization of their roles.Achieved Form: Under the achieved form of social stratification, the social statuses are assigned according to the worth of the individual. This system serves the following functions for the society:

18. Occupational Hierarchy: Depending upon the importance of a particular occupation, different occupations are hierarchically divided. The occupations which are very important for the well-being of the society are associated with high prestige and those occupations which do not need specialized training are given low status. Such a system is free from confusion, and motivates the people to work hard, so that they could take up occupations of high prestige.Division according to Intelligence: All persons are not equal with regard to their intelligence. Those persons with higher level of intelligence can perform more complicated functions of the society. Hence they are provided with different opportunities and high prestige.Training: Society makes elaborate arrangements for the training of younger generation. Those who spend more time on training and acquiring new skills are compensated with high returns. Even though such persons start working later yet the economic returns and social prestige associated with their work is higher than others.

19. Work Efficiency: Persons with appropriate knowledge and training occupy appropriate positions. Hence, their work efficiency is also higher. Under this system there is no place for parasites and those who shirk work. The fittest to survive is the rule which is followed.Development: The competition to move higher in the social ladder has resulted into new inventions, new methods of work and greater efficiency. This system has led to progress and development of the country. The Western societies are highly developed; it is attributed to the fact that these societies adopted open system of stratification.

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