Social Class & Stratification

These flashcards cover key concepts of social class and stratification discussed in the lecture.

social stratification

A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy.

social mobility

The movement of individuals, families, households, or other categories of people between social strata in a society.

horizontal mobility

A form of social mobility where a person moves within the same social stratum.

vertical mobility

A form of social mobility that can be inter-generational, intra-generational, or structural.

domination

The chance that one's commands will be obeyed by others.

power

The chance of realizing one's own will, even against the resistance of others.

Legal-Rational authority

One of the three types of authority defined by Weber, based on laws and established rules.

Traditional authority

One of the three types of authority defined by Weber, based on established customs and practices.

Charismatic authority

One of the three types of authority defined by Weber, based on the individual’s charisma and personal appeal.

class

A number of people who share economic interests.

status group

A collective with varying degrees of social honor.

status

Can operate independently of class, where a person can have high status but low class.

Bourdieu's cultural capital

The things you have and know, including embodied, objectified, and institutionalized capital.

social capital

The people you know, including your social networks that can be inherited or earned.

symbolic capital

Recognition of other capital; it gives importance to other forms of capital.

intersectionality

Allows for an analysis of specific systems of oppression and emphasizes that these systems are interlocking.