Sociology Key Concepts: Stratification, Race, and Social Mobility

Intragenerational mobility

Charlotte's story demonstrates this type of structural stratification.

High school graduation rates

Gaps in high school graduation rates between races and ethnicities have reduced significantly, but there are still measurable differences among groups.

Child labor

An example of slavery according to anti-slavery international.

Race

Sociologists consider race to be biological in nature - false.

Statue of Liberty

There is a poem about immigration inscribed on the side of the Statue of Liberty - true.

Executive Order 1966

Authorized establishment of internment camps for anyone with Japanese ancestry following Pearl Harbor is an example of expulsion.

Conflict theory

Might criticize the concept of the American dream which suggests anyone can achieve success through hard work.

Model minority

The Asian American community has been stereotyped as the model minority.

Stereotype

Isaiah is cooking his girlfriend a meat-free dinner because she's a vegetarian is not an example of a stereotype.

Upper class

Often defined as having control over one's life and the life of people around you.

Upper middle class

Often defined as having control only over one's own life.

Functionalist sociologist

Studies society with a clear distinction between blue-collar and white-collar jobs.

Ethnicity

Refers to the group experience, space, culture, and ancestry.

Discrimination

Defined as prejudice action against a group of people.

Conspicuous consumption

James's desire to buy a new car to show off to his friends is an example of this kind of purchasing.

US Census

Has tracked educational attainment for all racial/ethnic groups since it was founded - false.

Extreme poverty

Around 700 million people live on less than $2.15 per day.

Sociological consideration

Evaluation on if cursive skills or keyboarding skills are more profitable for students is not a sociological consideration.

Wealth inequality data

The percentage of wealth held by the top 10% has increased reflecting structural changes in the economy.

Symbolic interactionism

Focuses on how people interact and create meaning in everyday life.

Economic inequality

Examined how people from different social classes use symbols to communicate and present themselves.

Symbolic Interaction

Focus on how communication styles, mannerisms, or clothing choices influence perceptions between individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Functionalist Theory

Emphasizes that social structures serve a purpose, such as motivating individuals to pursue education and skills for high-paying jobs.

Industrial Revolution

A historical event greatly responsible for global stratification as we see it today.

Wallerstein's Classification

Uses terms such as core nations, peripheral nations, and semi-peripheral nations to classify nations.

Functionalism

The sociological perspective that Cedric's uncle is coming from, which views racism and discrimination as assigning groups to socially defined roles.

Caste System

An example of someone living under a caste system is Mohit, who accepted his lower class status.

Medium Wages for Women in 1974

Were barely over a third of the medium wages for men.

Middle Class

The social class that is quickly disappearing from modern economies.

Social Mobility

The movement between social classes, where the system offers opportunities for those who work hard and acquire necessary skills.

Segregation

Defined as the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, workplace, and social functions.

Wealthy Upper Class

Provides leadership, resources, and investment that drive economic growth from a functionalist perspective.

Educational Attainment in the United States

American and Asian Americans have similar but not identical levels of high school graduation rates over time.

Generational Shares of Wealth

The gap between population percentage and wealth ownership has remained consistent across all generations in the 20th and 21st century.

European Colonialism

Identified as a key factor in understanding the current state of Africa's social issues.

Amalgamation

The acceptance of interracial marriage, as seen in the 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia.

World Bank Study on Poverty

More women live in poverty than men in low-income nations.

Importance of Profession

The more important a profession is to society, the more people in that profession will make.

Implicit Bias

An example is a casting director rejecting an application because of the applicant's sounding Asian name.