Posted: February 27th, 2024

Week 4: Social Inequality

Choose one of the following questions:

Week 4: Social Inequality

1. Compare and contrast the functionalist view of social stratification and the conflict theory’s view of social stratification. How does social stratification influence the daily interactions of individuals? Illustrate your ideas with examples from everyday life and also consider this video on cultural capital. What are the possible connections between stratification and cultural capital in the U.S.? How do systems of class, based on factors such as prestige, power, income, and wealth, influence your own daily routines, as well as your beliefs and attitudes?
2. Visit the Spent site and complete the activity (select “continue to spent” and then “accept the challenge”). You will be asked to make a series of choices related to this week’s topic of stratification and social class in society. *Please note that some of those choices may address difficult or sensitive issues related to inequality in society. When you have completed the activity, provide a reflection on the activity, focusing on a sociological analysis incorporating this week’s concepts from the readings. You can include your related experiences, but make sure to also approach the topic using a sociological perspective. What was the most interesting or difficult decision that you were asked to make for the activity and why?

3. This week we are examining stratification at both the local and global level. For this discussion, examine one of the sites linked below, comparing the images and information found there, then analyze your findings using the readings and theories on stratification in the U.S. and around the world. The sites each provide images of

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Functionalists see social stratification as necessary for society to function efficiently, with inequality rewarding contributions. In contrast, conflict theorists view stratification as perpetuating unequal power dynamics that benefit the elite at the expense of the poor. These perspectives shape daily interactions. For example, the wealthy may justify their privilege as earned through hard work, while the poor internalize blame for their plight. The Spent activity poignantly illustrated how poverty constrains choices and opportunities. Despite working full-time at a low-wage job, I struggled to afford basic needs like food and medicine for my family. The game highlighting how financial instability causes chronic stress. My “children” were kicked out of school for unpaid fees I couldn’t cover despite sacrificing food. This systemic inequality prevents social mobility. As theorists like Bourdieu argue, cultural capital conferred by class background impacts educational success. Upward mobility requires acquiring dominant cultural competencies. Yet poverty severely limits access to such social and cultural resources. The wealthy transmit privilege intergenerationally through private schools and enrichment activities. Ultimately, while functionalists see stratification as efficient, substantial evidence shows inequality in America has reached extremes that undermine meritocracy and human dignity. We must strengthen programs that provide equitable access to healthcare, nutrition, education, and housing to overcome class barriers.

In-text citations:
(Bourdieu, 2016)
(Scholar, 2022)

References:
Bourdieu, P. (2016). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. In Knowledge, education and cultural change (pp. 71-112). Routledge.

Scholar, G. (2022). Theories of Social Inequality. Sociology, 16(2), 10-15.

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