Sociology, socio-economics

Meritocracy

A system where people are sorted based on their talent and hard work.

Socioeconomic status

A person's economic and social standing in society, based on income, wealth, education, or occupation.

Social mobility

The process through which an individual or family moves from one social stratum to the next, which can be upward or downward.

Individual merit

A person's qualities, actions, and skills that indicate what they deserve to receive in society.

Social inequality

The differential and unequal distribution of goods, services, resources, and power that creates a hierarchical social system.

Social stratification

The ranking of individuals or groups in a hierarchy based on shared characteristics.

Income inequality

The unequal distribution of income among individuals and households.

Gini index

A measure of social inequality that analyzes the distribution of income within a country on a scale from 0 to 1.

Wealth inequality

The unequal accumulation and distribution of wealth among individuals.

Intersectionality

The overlapping of social categories like race, class, and gender that create systems of inequality.

Human capital

Investments made by an individual in their training, skills, and education to enhance success in the labor market.

Social capital

Resources an individual acquires through their social networks, which can improve employment opportunities and incomes.

Caste system

A social structure where individuals are born into their social position and remain there for life.

Absolute poverty

Deprivation of basic human needs necessary for survival.

Relative poverty

Deprivation compared to the average standard of living in society.

Progressive taxation

A tax system where the tax rate increases as the taxpayer's income increases.

Regressive taxation

A tax system where everyone pays the same tax rate regardless of income, which benefits higher earners.

Feminization of poverty

The increasing prevalence of poverty among women, who often face unique challenges.

Achivement based system

A social mobility system where individuals can rise in social class based on talent and hard work.

Ascription based system

A social mobility system where an individual's social position is determined at birth, limiting opportunities for movement.

Intergenerational mobility

Changes in social position that occur from one generation to the next.

Intragenerational mobility

Changes in social position that occur within a person's lifetime.

LICO (Low Income Cut Off)

A measure used to assess poverty in Canada based on income share devoted to necessities.

Conflict perspective

A sociological view that sees inequality as a product of social and economic systems that serve the dominant class.

Structural functionalism

A sociological perspective that views inequality as a natural feature of society, with certain positions viewed as more important.

Symbolic interactionism

A sociological approach that examines how inequality is maintained through everyday interactions and social symbols.

Cultural capital

Cultural resources like knowledge and behaviors that signify high status and can influence social advantage.