The Background Of The Social Stratification Sociology Essay

The Background Of The Social Stratification Sociology Essay All societies place their members according to superiority, inferiority and equality. The vertical scale of evaluation, this categorization of people in layers is called stratification. Social stratification is a natural and controlled division according to race, religion, social and economic status. In sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of social classes, castes and strata within a society. Anthony Giddens has defined social stratification as the existence of structured inequalities between groups in society, in terms of their access to material or symbolic rewards. According to Peter Saunders, in modern Western societies, stratification depends on social and economic classes consisting of three main layers: Upper class, Middle class and Lower class. Every class is further divided into smaller classes according to occupation. 1.1 BACKGROUND: The notion of stratification came into existence in 1940s. Social stratification is the basic cause of inequalities. The basis for social stratification are earnings, privileges, ethnicity, disability,    education, access to benefits, sex, caste, wealth, religion, power, age, gender, occupation, race, region, language, party and politics. Stratification is a trait of society and not just individual differences. Indeed it is the outcome of the social arrangement and it has a great impact on everyone. Stratification is universal, but tremendously changeable in form. Stratification persists over generations. It is still prevailing in our society. Four fundamental forms of stratification are class, caste, estate and slavery. Stratification is common in the animal kingdom on the basis of power and gender and some form of stratification has most likely always existed among humans. With the progress of food and other surpluses resulting from hi-tech advances in agriculture and manufactur ing, some people began to mount up more wealth than others. There could be many other things influencing social stratification. For the larger part of history, the on hand stratification arrangement was regarded as an undeniable feature of society and the implicit purpose of commentators was to clarify or rationalize that arrangement in terms of religious doctrines. 1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: Social stratification is social, universal, diverse in structure, very old and consequential. It is a trait of society, not merely a reflection of individual differences. Those at the top of the ladder the higher class has more advantages in life than those at the bottom of the ladder the lower class. The upper classes have more opportunities to thrive in life; chances include such things as conditions of work, healthiness and accommodation. People at the top of the ladder may choose the area that they live in which will tend to have less crime, better schools and better living than those in the lower class. Social stratification moves from generation to generation. Each human being born into the world is involuntarily allocated to social strata. Their place is usually their parents place at that time. We are born with nothing so consequently we inherit what our parents have. Children are influenced by their family members. Every family within the social order and within each social stratum has different ambitions, determinations and goals to be successful in life. A child will gain knowledge of these through the accomplishments of his own parents.    Even though social stratification is universal, it is also variable which means that all different countries have different forms of stratification but its characteristics vary in every country. In the United Kingdom it is very much a class system, whereas in some Asian countries the stratification is on the basis of the religion. Social stratification involves inequality and beliefs. Everybody within society has to believe that stratification is fair otherwise there is going to be unrest in the society. Social Stratification can be seen in all places around us from our schools to government agencies to even our homes. It is a definite part of our social system that represents the discrimination of opportunities that we experience and observe in our everyday lives. The idea of pecking order emerged in the 17th and 18th century by sociologist Hobbes and Locke and it was through these sociologists that people realized that inequality existed in the society. On one hand, inequalities based on individual qualities (charisma, economic or social skills, etc.) do not add up to stratification, since they arent defined by membership in a particular category. So, if in a hunting band the best hunter or the spiritualist/sage is held in high regard and has privileged access to some resources, this isnt social stratification. Symbolic Interactionists reveal that symbols help to describe the meaning of all social actions, and a persons self is developed socially through social interaction. Legitimating thoughts, expressed symbolically in the form of language give reasons for inequality, for strata, for the ways people are positioned in the strata and for changes in the stratification system. These sustaining ideas also strongly manipulate how people assess themselves within the system, influencing them to agree to their position in the structure as good and right. 1.3 MAJOR FORMS OF STRATIFICATION: Primal collectivism characterized by an elevated level of sharing and negligible social inequality, Slavery involving enormous social inequality and the ownership of some persons by others, Caste in which a person is permanently assigned to a status based on his or her parents status, Estate in which peasants are required by law to work on land owned by the noble class in exchange for food and protection from outside attacks. There are different forms of social stratification that are present in our societies i.e. Class society: In this society persons status is ascribed to them by the accomplishments they have achieved. In the United States, the social stratification that divides the most is the class system, whereas in areas of Africa not only are there class differences to divide people but women are in a class by themselves. The class system is defined by the possessions of wealth or material possessions (Henslin, 2010, p.189). Even though we like to think of ourselves as a very progressive nation, we still look down on people that are below us in class.    1.4 REASONS OF EXISTENCE OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: Natural predictability suggests that discrimination exists because of natural differences in peoples abilities and is a just system. Structural -functionalists states that stratification is helpful to society because it enhances strength and induces members of the society to endeavor. Conflict suggests that stratification occurs through conflict amid different classes, with the upper classes using greater power to take a bigger share of the social resources. Evolutionary states that people will share sufficient resources to guarantee the survival of the group until an excess exists at which point power determines how the surplus is distributed. Symbolic Interactionists calls attention to the significance of symbolic displays of wealth and power that influence ones definition of self and the importance of ideas in defining social situations. Inequality may originate from natural differences in peoples abilities. Structural-functionalists believe that societies have a tendency to be stable and are held as one through agreement. Stratification provides an important function to society by aiding this process because it lessens conflict and provides structure. Conflict theorists believe that society tends towards conflict and change and that stratification system compel the lower classes to benefit the upper classes. 1.5 ORIGINS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: In early societies, people shared a common societal position. As societies evolved and became more intricate, they began to elevate  some members. To understand stratification, we must first understand its origins. Though there is a lot that we dont know about origins of stratification, it is apparent that it is a fairly recent development, as exposed through study of grave goods, and historical record of state expansion and conquest of more democratic societies. Once they come up, stratified systems lean to expand at expense of egalitarian systems, but this cannot explain origins of first stratified systems i.e. cases of pristine state formation. It is not simply survival mode, since some foragers are less democratic than many agricultural and most pastoralist societies Attempts to elucidate cultural advancement of social stratification in ecological terms by and large rely on one or another of  two basic approaches: 1. Stratification = solution to an ecological problem 2. Stratification = system by which one class extracts resources from another These two approaches often termed  functional  and  conflict  theories, respectively. Functional theories focus on benefits to all parties; in contrast, Conflict theories argue that elites benefit at expense of commoners. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: The book by Macionis, J and Plummer, K., 2007, called Sociology: A Global Introduction defines   Social stratification as a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy and that one group has access to a disproportionate amount of money, power and prestige and stratification can be used as a lens to focus on social inequality. The books by Haralmbos, M., Holborn, M. and Heald, R., 2008, called Sociology themes and perspectives  defines, social stratification to the presence of distinct social groups which are ranked one above the other in terms of factors such as prestige and wealth. The five societal pyramids explain how societies work.   This pyramid arrangement focused on how people were ranked by their financial positions, their power and their prestige. The way society effort with social division depends upon wealth and power, not on hereditary position. The open system based on personal accomplishment, where people have control over position between upper and lower class in society can lead to discrimination amongst each other. The stratification systems focused on other social divisions such as: Gender stratification Ethnic stratification Age stratification Health and disability In the 19th and 20th century the structural functional paradigm argued that stratification systems are functional for society. The Davis-Moore Thesis argues that industrialized societies for the most part are prolific under a system of meritocracy. Under this kind of inequality, the stratification system rewards good performers with high salaries and punishes poor performers with fewer salaries. Davis-Moore argued that several jobs have to to pay more than others; they are important jobs, so their high salary will magnetize the most excellent performers. These top performers will be more inventive and this is functional for society. Functionalists also argue that stratification promotes in-group harmony. Marx and Weber, who were Conflict theorists, alleged that the finest way to study social stratification was by using Conflict theory. On the whole, the main aim was to scrutinize and elucidate social inequality in society. Marx thought that there were two classes in the social order, owners and the workers. He wanted the workforce to become aware of this theory to ultimately bring down the owners. Weber, in contrast, considered more about Marx theory and thought that there must be another class involved which is the middle class. Middle class inhabitants are ones with skills required for jobs but do not have ownership; this set them at a distance from blue-collars, because they had skills for certain jobs which gave them a sense of power. Mills and Domhoff thought that there are little structured groups of people who stay out of political affairs so they are not estranged. This gives them a key to power in society.   Ã‚   Social Stratification allows people who have proficient varying competence and riches to function in ways that are appropriate for them. This is a functionalist perspective supported by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore. They started by pointing out that no society is classless or unstratified. 4. CONCLUSION/SUGGESTIONS: From the above mentioned things we can conclude that the basic factor that causes social stratification is poverty. Steps should be taken for its eradication which will bring change in the society.   In order to eradicate social stratification, we should try to eradicate things that are causing it including unequal education, facilities, opportunities, wealth, poverty etc. if all the citizens of every country will get everything in equal quantity and quality, only then change will happen. This is the basic right of every citizen and it should be given to them. More fortunate people should help the less fortunate ones. They should try to be empathetic towards poor only then they can help them. They should be motivated and interested in keeping everybody equal and everyone should try, on individual level, to see the needy around them. Other than this the only best solution to solve this vicious circle is to apply a Sharia law on national scale, which stipulates that each person should set aside 2.5% of the income each person earns monthly to help eradicate poverty and the money gathered can be used to purchase things needed for those who are in need as capital, like sewing mach ines or seeds etc.   Theres no way for the government to be able to reduce or let alone eradicate poverty as long as it tightly clings on to capitalism and those 99% Americans are the living proofs, who say capitalism cant eradicate poverty.

From Institutions to Inclusions Essay -- Special Education, Section 50

From Institutions to Inclusions During my Research on Special Education and how far it has come I found that Prior to the Eighteenth Century Children with Disabilities were often outcast from society, in fact they were often institutionalized in asylums away from the society. According to an article from about.com, the action of physically, mentally, and physiologically mistreating a student with a disability became illegal when Congress enacted what was then the "Education for All Handicapped Children Act" (Public Law 94-142) on Nov. 29, 1975. The law intended to support states and localities in protecting the rights of, meeting the individual needs of, and improving the results for infants, toddlers, children, and youths with disabilities and their families. According the NASET (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS) the term "inclusion or responsible inclusion" is a term used to identify the action of providing services to students with disabilities in the educational setting. Inclusion is commonly considered the least restrictive route and environment for students with disabilities (HICKS-MONROE) According to the text titled "100 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS". It states under Federal Law Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) protects students and their parent/guardian. The definition of Special Education means, "Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents/ guardians, to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability" (PIERANGELO/GIULIANI) To ensure each student with a disability is treated fairly the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted. According to IDEA there are four specific purposes of this act. One It ensures a ... ...akes to get them where they deserve to be, and that is with the rest of the class. I know firsthand what it feels like to need help for your child that has a special need and how much it hurts and frustrates a parent when hurdles are placed in front of you. My child has needed a 504 Plan since Kindergarten and during her first year, we had no other choice, but to get an attorney because the school she attended refused to accommodate her needs. It was necessary for us to fight for her rights so she could attend school with her peers. When it comes to incorporating what I have learned about Special Education. I would try to teach my students by setting goals and objectives for each child early on. Try to teach as many concepts as possible to the group as a whole, and then teach the specific concepts to the smaller group or individuals that require the extra help.

Amber Inn & Suites Case Study

Work Environment Amber Inn & Suites, Inc., formed in 1979, operates 200 Amber Inn properties and 50 Amber Inn & Suites properties located in 10 states throughout the Rocky Mountain and western states. On Average, each location has approximately 120 individual guest and suite-style rooms. Under a new president and CEO, the goal is for Amber Inn & Suites to reach profitability within two years after five consecutive years of unprofitability. This company is positioned as a limited-service hotel which does not have the amenities such as a restaurant, lounge, or meeting rooms. This type of hotel is classified under a midscale hotel with food and beverage, such as Holiday Inn and Ramada Inn. CompetitionDirect competition to Amber includes other mid-scale hotels in the western and Rocky Mountain states, specifically hotels that are in the same class as Amber which do not possess the extravagant amenities of an on-site restaurant or meeting rooms. For Amber to make its hotel stand out among st the others is a very difficult task with so many other companies present in this industry. The next level of competition would fall to recreation vehicle parks and camping sites. For the price-conscious individual, this may pose as an easier solution, but does not give someone the comfort of a traditional bed and amenities like television. Also, with a presence in the rocky mountain and western area, weather plays a contributing factor into this scenario.The indirect competition to Amber Inn & Suites is potential company cutbacks and layoffs. This not only affects their business traveler base, but also could affect if individuals have the luxury to travel and stay in a hotel opposed to a relative or friends residence.StrengthsLocation is a key factor to the success of Amber, because the company avoids the downtown areas and has chosen to only be located on sites close to major highways close to suburban areas, airports, and large regional shopping centers. This shows that all of its locations are at a convenient location  with easy access to and from their sites. Even though profitability has not been able to be reached, the company has still been able to produce three consecutive years of growing revenues. The average occupancy rate is higher than the industry average for the respective class the hotel is in, and Amber has a significant standing amongst business travelers. WeaknessesThe glaring fact of being unprofitable for five consecutive years is definitely the major weakness of this organization. Lodging revenues are rising, but the expenses correlated with these revenues are increasing at a much faster rate. Other weaknesses are the lack of amenities that Amber Inn & Suites offers travelers, which creates a lack thereof to differentiate from other hotels with the same presence. Another item that could be a weakness is a lack of differentiation between the Amber Inn and AmberInn & Suites. OpportunitiesBy having noticeable differences between the two , this could allow for different price structures and allow Amber Inn to enter a new target market giving the organization the ability to expand its chain. Also, with a dominant business traveler occupancy rate, Amber Inn & Suites could start forming frequent visitor relationships with organizations, so those companies refer their business travelers to stay in these sites.ThreatsWith having so many consecutive years of unprofitability, the thought of bankruptcy or closing of the organization is always a present factor. A company can only go so long of losing money year after year before it is required to throw in the towel. Government regulations on requirements of hotels could also be an imposing factor, because certain regulations could raise general expenses that are required to keep the hotel up to code and to the industry standards.ProblemWith the new CEO wanting to produce profitability within two years, the current problem is how to re-position the organization’s strat egy and define which customer base to focus on. By starting with which type of customer to target, the organization can be more focused on its tactics.Alternatives1. Do nothing. There is not much of a pro to this solution, because by doing no sort of action will either result in the business failing and closing down, or that could cost the marketing senior vice president her position.2. Reward Program for businesses. By instituting a reward program with businesses, it will allow business travelers to stay at the hotel for a discounted price for Sunday through Thursday lodging through his or her place of employment. Instead of attempting to find the best rate. The company knows that when an employee goes to this city, he or she will stay at the Amber Inn and the company books it for the employee. This will increase the business traveler base, which is already predominant. However, this will decrease the overall revenues for the organization.3. Increase weekend prices. By increasing l odging prices on the weekends, it will not harm the business traveler base, and increase profits for the personal and vacation/pleasure areas. This could adversely affect the number of guests staying at the hotel on the weekends and drive the weekend revenue stream down.4. Increase average daily room rate to be more toward industry average. Since the survey says that only 36.6% stayed at the hotel based on price and the fact that majority of business travelers had the rooms paid for by the business, this will increase overall profits. The negative to this option would be the potential loss of that customer base.5. Increase business traveler advertising. By capitalizing on the best strength of customer base, the hotel has the ability to make its focus be solely on the business traveler, which is where the most occupancy is coming from. If the company decides to shift its focus toward the business traveler it will have to cut advertising cost elsewhere, but could in-turn create a bett er strategy for the organization. This will decrease costs because of a more finite focus but also keep the greatest customer base that the hotel already possesses.6. Decrease employee base. By doing this the company will save in SG&A expenses, which will allow the budget to be decreased creating a better profit. However, decreasing the employee base per site, could result in a negative effect on the hotel because it could reduce response time to cleaning rooms and getting each one available for the next guests. Decision PackageIf the company can effectively increase the advertising for the business  traveler and increase the hotel’s overall average daily room rate, it will be able to capitalize on the area of customers that visit the hotel the most and also increase the revenue per room. By shifting the focus to the business traveler, the company can save advertising costs elsewhere because this will limit the areas that are needed to be advertised to. If the overall adver tising budget is decreased and the business traveler rate can increase, then the company is able to capitalize on the most profitable target market available.Plan of ActionDevelop a new budget for advertising with a special emphasis on the business traveler. Attempting which channels are spent on the everyday consumer will help decrease those costs and effectively increase sales. The price increase can happen in gradual stages on a quarterly basis. Given the time from of two years, the organization should structure itself at 75% of the industry average on room rate, which would give Amber Inn a $20 increase per room average. This would allow for a $2.50 increase per quarter.Overall room occupancy rate may decrease without the personal and leisure guest presence, but the increase in profit and business segment will help adjust those figures. If the occupancy rate decreases slightly, but the revenue is increasing, this will decrease the variable costs associated with maintaining those extra rooms which will allow for less expenses.

Children And Women With Disabilities An Umbrella Term,...

California State University, Long Beach Sexuality in the Disabled Kam Sing Kwok HSC 425 Marty Axelson 14 April, 2016 Introduction: Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations (WHO disabilities). Disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which the person lives. There are some myths about people with disabilities. People think men and women with disabilities don’t need sex, men and women with disabilities are oversexed., sex must be spontaneous and/or have a set time, men and women with disabilities can t have real sex, men and women with disabilities are not sexually attractive, boys and girls with disabilities don t need sexuality education, men and women with disabilities have more important needs than sex, men and women with disabilities, such as retardation, should not have children and should not be allowed to have children.(Disabled World) People enjoy having sex with their intimate partner. Sexuality is not only a physical act of having sex but also includes our thoughts, desires, beliefs, behaviors and experiences related to sex. 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