Topic 3 of 6 · Form 5
Social inequality: class, gender and ethnicity
Theories of class (Marx, Weber, functionalism – Davis and Moore, Tumin's critique); changes in class structure (embourgeoisement, proletarianisation, the underclass); social mobility.
Notes for this topic 1 file, in order
Create a free account to download PDFs.
Stratification
Theories of class (Marx, Weber, functionalism – Davis and Moore, Tumin's critique); changes in class structure (embourgeoisement, proletarianisation, the underclass); social mobility.
Gender inequality
Patriarchy, the gender pay gap, the glass ceiling, the dual burden; feminist explanations; changes in women's roles.
Ethnic inequality
Racism and discrimination (individual and institutional), ethnic penalties in employment, explanations (cultural and structural).
Poverty
Absolute and relative poverty; measurement; explanations (culture of poverty, underclass, structural, Marxist); policies.
Intersectionality
How class, gender, ethnicity and other identities combine to shape life chances.
Check yourself
- What did Tumin argue against Davis and Moore?
- What is institutional racism?
- Define intersectionality.
Show answers
- Stratification is dysfunctional – it wastes talent and is maintained by the powerful, not merit.
- Discrimination built into the policies and practices of organisations.
- The interaction of multiple social identities producing distinct experiences of inequality.
Questions about this topic (0)
No questions about this topic yet.
Sign in or create a free account to join in.