ESO 14 -Society and Stratification

IGNOU BA Sociology Study Material

Source : Sociology – eGyanKosh

IGNOU BA Sociology Study Material in ENGLISH DOWNLOAD !

Block-1 Introducing Social Stratification
Block-2 Explaining Social Stratification
Block-3 Ethnic Stratification
Block-4 Gender Differentiation and Ethnicity
Block-5 Explaining caste in Indian Society
Block-6 Marginalised Communities and Stratification
Block-7 Class in Indian Society
Block-8 Social Mobility

An in-depth exploration of social inequality, this overview examines the universal phenomenon of social stratification. It delves into the core concepts and theoretical explanations of social hierarchy, with a special focus on the complex interplay of ethnicity, gender, caste, and class, particularly within the Indian context.

Block-1: Introducing Social Stratification

This foundational block introduces social stratification as the hierarchical arrangement of a society’s members into different strata or layers. It is a system by which society ranks categories of people, and this ranking persists over generations. This inequality is not about individual differences but is a characteristic of society itself, supported by cultural beliefs and ideologies. The block outlines the key dimensions of stratification, which include disparities in:

Wealth and Income: The economic assets and earnings of individuals and groups.
Power: The ability to influence or control the behavior of others.
Prestige: The social honor, respect, or esteem associated with a particular social position.

It also introduces the primary forms of stratification systems found across different societies: slavery, estates, caste, and class.

Block-2: Explaining Social Stratification

This section explores the major sociological theories that attempt to explain why social stratification is a universal feature of human societies.

Functionalist Perspective: This view, associated with thinkers like Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore, argues that stratification is necessary and beneficial for society. It posits that society must offer greater rewards (like wealth and prestige) for its most important positions to ensure that the most talented and qualified individuals are motivated to fill them.
Conflict Perspective: Drawing from the work of Karl Marx, this theory argues that stratification is not functional but is a result of conflict and exploitation. It claims that the dominant class in society uses its power to create and maintain a system that benefits them at the expense of the subordinate classes. Stratification is seen as a source of social tension and an instrument of oppression.
Weberian Perspective: Max Weber offered a multidimensional view. While agreeing with Marx on the importance of economic factors (which he termed class), Weber argued that two other dimensions were equally crucial: status (prestige or social honor) and party (political power). He contended that these three distinct, though often overlapping, dimensions together determine an individual’s position in the social hierarchy.

Block-3: Ethnic Stratification

This block examines how ethnicity and race are used as a basis for creating social hierarchies. Ethnic stratification is a system where some ethnic groups are ranked higher and have greater access to resources and power than others. This hierarchy is often based on ascribed characteristics like ancestry, language, religion, or physical appearance (race). The dominant ethnic group uses its power to create an ideology, often racism, to justify the system of inequality and the subordination of minority ethnic groups. This block explores how ethnic stratification leads to prejudice (preconceived attitudes) and discrimination (unequal treatment).

Block-4: Gender Differentiation and Ethnicity

This section delves into the intersection of two powerful systems of stratification: gender and ethnicity. It moves beyond analyzing these as separate issues to understand how they combine to create unique experiences of inequality. Women within marginalized ethnic or racial groups often face a “double jeopardy” or multiple layers of disadvantage. They are subordinated both as women within a patriarchal social structure and as members of a marginalized ethnic group. This block explores how the experiences, roles, and challenges of women differ across various ethnic communities and how their struggles are shaped by the interplay of both gender and ethnic identities.

Block-5: Explaining Caste in Indian Society

This block provides an in-depth sociological analysis of the caste system, the unique and deeply entrenched form of social stratification in India. Key features of the traditional caste system include:

Hierarchy: A rigid ranking of castes, with the Brahmins at the top and the Dalits (formerly “untouchables”) outside the four-fold varna scheme at the very bottom.
Hereditary Membership: Caste status is determined by birth and is unchangeable.
Endogamy: The strict practice of marrying within one’s own caste.
Occupational Association: Traditionally, each caste was associated with a specific occupation.
Social Restrictions: The system imposed severe restrictions on social interaction, particularly concerning food sharing and physical contact between castes.

The block examines both traditional religious explanations (purity and pollution) and sociological theories for the persistence and functioning of this system.

Block-6: Marginalised Communities and Stratification

This section focuses on the communities that have been historically placed at the bottom of India’s social hierarchy and continue to face systemic disadvantage.

Scheduled Castes (Dalits): These are the communities that were formerly considered “untouchable” and were subjected to the most severe forms of social and economic exploitation. The block examines the historical oppression they faced and the ongoing struggles against discrimination and violence, despite constitutional protections.
Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis): India’s indigenous communities are also a marginalized group. While they often exist outside the traditional caste hierarchy, they have faced exploitation, displacement from their lands, and the erosion of their cultural identity due to the encroachment of mainstream society.

This block analyzes the socio-economic conditions of these groups and the state’s affirmative action policies (reservations) aimed at their upliftment.

Block-7: Class in Indian Society

While caste has been the traditional basis of hierarchy, this block examines the growing importance of class as a system of stratification in modern India. A social class is a large group of people who share a similar economic position. In India, the class structure is complex and often intersects with caste. The block explores:

Agrarian Class Structure: The class hierarchy in rural India, consisting of landlords, different categories of peasants (rich, middle, and poor), and landless agricultural laborers.
- Industrial and Urban Classes: The class structure in urban areas, including the capitalist class (bourgeoisie), the industrial working class (proletariat), and a large and diverse middle class, which has grown significantly since economic liberalization.
Caste and Class Interplay: The dynamic relationship between caste and class, where traditional caste status often influences an individual’s class position, but economic mobility can sometimes challenge caste barriers.

Block-8: Social Mobility

This concluding block examines the concept of social mobility—the movement of individuals or groups between different positions in a social stratification system. It explores the extent to which a society is “open” or “closed.”

Types of Mobility:
- Horizontal Mobility: A change in position without a change in social status (e.g., a teacher moving from one school to another).
- Vertical Mobility: Movement up or down the social ladder.
- Inter-generational Mobility: A change in social position between generations (e.g., a farmer’s son becoming a doctor).
- Intra-generational Mobility: A change in social position within an individual’s own lifetime.
Factors Affecting Mobility: The block analyzes the factors that influence social mobility, such as education, occupation, family background, and state policies like reservations. In the Indian context, it examines the degree to which caste continues to be a barrier to upward social mobility despite the opportunities offered by a modernizing economy and a democratic polity.