Ch 9 Pt 1 Social Groups and Social Stratification Notes
Social Groups and Social Stratification
Key Questions
Define social groups and their variations across cultural contexts.
Understand social stratification or hierarchies among social groups based on status.
Explore the concept of civil society.
Definition of Social Groups
Social groups typically extend beyond the domestic unit (family and household).
Membership can include kin (biologically related individuals) or non-kin.
Example: A church group with family members vs. a soccer club with unrelated individuals.
Members are aware of their rights and responsibilities within the group.
Examples:
Access to equipment or activities.
Payment of membership fees.
Adherence to rules (e.g., fitness program guidelines).
Types of Social Groups
Primary Social Groups
Characterized by intimate connections and personal knowledge of members.
Example: Workplace colleagues who socialize together.
Secondary Social Groups
Members do not know each other personally and may have never met.
Examples:
Citizens of a large country (e.g., the United States, India, China, Russia).
Participants in an online course who remain anonymous.
Note: Interaction can shift a secondary group towards becoming a primary group.
Formality of Social Groups
Hunting and gathering, and horticulturalist societies tend to have less formal social groups.
Membership is often informal, without required paperwork or fees.
Industrial societies often have more formal social groups.
Friendships and games might not have any formal application, while other are more formal.
Social Groups and Modes of Production/Livelihood
Foraging societies typically have fewer social groups compared to other modes of production.
Social groups may be organized by age or gender.
Industrial societies may have more diverse social groups.
Example: Fitness programs.
Industrial and digital economies may foster a greater variety of social groups to compensate for the reduced importance of kinship.
Counterargument: Close-knit kin groups can still participate in diverse social activities.
Gramin Bank: A Case Study
Microcredit system designed to provide loans to individuals without collateral.
Operates on the principle of social relations within a community.
Loans are provided to groups of people who know each other.
Social connections serve as a guarantee for loan repayment.
If one member fails to repay, the entire group may be denied future loans.
Example: "Gramin Yogurt" - providing yogurt to villagers for sale, enabling them to earn income and repay loans.
Empowers poor individuals, particularly women, by fostering financial independence and social confidence.
Variety of Social Groups: Examples
Friendship in Andalusia, Spain: Local terms used to describe neighbors and coworkers varies by male and female relationships.
Fraternities and Sororities
Social groups (men or women) in college settings with shared academic backgrounds, interests, or goals (e.g., social service).
Typically gender-segregated (all-male or all-female).
Men's Houses
Comparison to fraternities: Men's houses in Amazonian and Pacific (Taiwan) contexts.
Physical structures where men gather to discuss discipline, and raise boys.
Typically exclude women.
Violations of these rules can result in punishment (physical or emotional).
Critique: Condemning violence against women in these settings.
Violence Against Women in Fraternities and Men's Houses
Barbara Miller's explanation: Ties to male values of aggression.
Gyneophobia: Fear or anxiety towards females.
Comparison to chimpanzees and bonobos: Bonobos are less aggressive and pacify conflicts.
Argument: Aggression is likely a learned behavior rather than a biological imperative.
Ch 9 Pt 2 Social Groups and Stratification
Fraternity vs. Sorority
Media reports often highlight fraternity males involved in assaults, but less is heard about sorority females assaulting males.
Hazing rituals exist in both fraternities and sororities, but reported cases of violence tend to focus on male perpetrators.
This imbalance may be linked to gynophobia and traditional male-dominated house rules.
Counterculture Groups
Counterculture groups are those that don't conform to mainstream social norms.
Examples include:
Youth gangs, who resist general social rules and laws.
Body alteration groups (tattooing, branding, piercing), which deviate from dominant cultural patterns.
Urban princess (Gothic Lolita) styles, particularly in Japan.
Youth Gangs
Common question: Are youth gang members from uncaring families or lacking male role models?
Field research indicates that approximately 50% of youth gang members have families and male role models.
Joining gangs can be influenced by:
Psychological factors
Emotional factors
Family or social reasons
Financial issues
Both individual and structural social factors play a role.
Body Alteration Groups & Cultural Context
Cultural interpretations of body alterations (e.g., tattoos) vary.
In some Southeast Asian countries (e.g., Sri Lanka, Burma), tattooing Buddha on the body is considered disrespectful.
Examples:
A British woman with a Buddha tattoo was deported from Sri Lanka.
A couple was detained in Burma for a Buddha tattoo on one's calf.
Regardless of personal intention, interpretations can differ significantly between cultures.
Urban Princess (Gothic Lolita) Styles
Originated in Japan, influenced by punk rock and a desire for a childlike aesthetic.
Styles: Gothic (dark, punk), Lolita (princess-like, young girl).
Not always sexually connotated in Japanese context unlike western perceptions.
Increasingly adopted in the West (US, Canada), with gatherings at college campuses, fairs, etc.
Anthropological fieldwork explores motives, styling preferences, and group dynamics.
Often, individuals connect online through blogs, chat rooms, and magazines before meeting in person.
Observed linguistic features:
Childlike speech (e.g., lisping).
Childlike handwriting.
Use of honorific and traditionally feminine language to portray femininity.
Some use masculine speech to differentiate themselves from typical women or previous generations.
Comparison to Comic Con:
Similarities exist, but require analysis of history and linguistic play within Comic Con culture.
Consideration of how individuals perform characters through language and dress.
Cooperative Groups
Social groups where members pool resources or share profits.
Example: Farmer's cooperatives bargain for cheaper fertilizers, agrochemicals, or seeds.
Members pay fees and receive benefits such as cheaper goods or higher selling prices.
The extra money earned as a group can be divided among members.
Example: Kuna women in Central and South America sell textiles through local cooperatives.
Costco as an example:
Potential secondary social group where members benefit from cheaper rates and coupons.
Social Stratification
Related to the concept of strata or layers.
Society can be divided into different layers, such as social classes (upper, middle, lower).
Hierarchical stratification: Class, based on assets, wealth, property, and income.
Non-hierarchical stratification: Race, gender (ideally, with equality).
Emergence of agriculture may be linked to hierarchical relationships due to land ownership, creating landless and elite classes.
Achieved status: Earned through effort (e.g., class).
Ascribed status: Assigned at birth (e.g., race).
Ch 9 Pt 3 Social Stratification Notes
Achieved vs. Ascribed Status
Ascribed status is assigned at birth, including:
Race
Gender
Caste (in caste system societies)
Status refers to one's social position.
Practices to maintain status:
Marriage within a certain group.
Exclusionary social practices to maintain class and status for future generations.
Class as Achieved Status
Class is generally considered an achieved status.
Meritocratic Individualism: The belief that hard work leads to better status.
Example: Middle-class individuals improving their status through hard work.
Conversely, failure to maintain status can result in downward mobility.
Class as Ascribed Status
Class can sometimes be based on birth (ascribed), such as being born into wealth.
Example: Being born into a wealthy family like the Kardashians.
Race
Anthropologists define race as a natural, inherited quality associated with groups of people.
Examples: Mexican Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Middle Eastern Americans.
Racial categories are not always equal and may embody inequality.
It's crucial to consider the diversity of the concept of race across different cultures and countries.
In some parts of South America, the concept of race is intertwined with class.
In East Asia (Southern China, Hong Kong), foreigners may be put into different racial categories.
Common racial concepts in US:
People of color (referring primarily to African American and Hispanic populations).
Color blindness.
Reverse racism: Where racism is directed toward a group that is traditionally in a position of power.
Example: Asian Americans discriminating against non-Asian Americans.
Requires a pre-existing unequal power dynamic that is reversed.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity is generally considered positive, referring to cultural heritage, language, religion, and other cultural features.
Diaspora Population: Dispersed social groups living outside their homeland.
Example: Sikhs living in Canada, many having immigrated from the Punjab province of India.
Caste System
Associated with India and Hindu societies.
Social stratification system dividing individuals into different hierarchies.
Categories are called Varnas (colors).
Four major Varnas exist within the caste system.
Ch 9 Pt 4 Caste System, Marriage, And Civil Society
Caste System
Discussed in the context of Hindus in various countries including India, Fiji, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Varnas are associated with marriage practices, typically within similar caste backgrounds.
General definition of Varnas:
Brahmins: Priests and academics.
Warriors.
Business caste.
Servants and subordinates.
Dalits: The untouchables, considered the lowest level, often associated with latrine work and handling deceased animals, violating the holiness of cows.
Example: A musician using animal hide for instruments (e.g., a drummer) could be categorized as a Dalit.
Globalization and social media (e.g., Facebook) are enabling individuals to meet and marry outside their castes.
Mixed-Race Marriage in the United States
Analogous to caste system, but in the context of race in the United States.
Historically, mixed-race marriages faced legal and social challenges.
Loving v. Virginia: Landmark court case challenging the legality of mixed-race marriage in Virginia.
Richard Loving (European American) and Mildred Loving (African American and Native American descent) faced harassment and legal issues for their marriage.
Their case went to court, challenging the state's laws and eventually allowing them to live in Virginia as a married couple.
The Loving's story has been portrayed in film, highlighting the struggles faced by mixed-race couples and their impact on changing societal views.
Miscegenation and Hypodescent
Miscegenation: Refers to mixed-race relationships or marriages.
Hypodescent (One-Drop Rule):
Historically, in the U.S., it tied individuals of mixed-race to the less powerful or "lower" race.
Example: A person born to an African American and European American marriage would be automatically classified as African American during times of discrimination.
Hypo means lower, indicating association with the race considered inferior at the time.
Intermarriage is not limited to race; it can involve mixed religion or nationality.
Census Data:
Historical census forms (e.g., 1890) lacked comprehensive racial categories.
Categories like Middle Eastern or Hispanic emerged later.
Early forms listed Japanese, Chinese, or Indian (from the East) due to higher migrant populations.
Civil Society
Definition: Social groups operating outside the government that organize political and economic life.
Examples: Church groups, schools, labor unions, clubs, and other social groups beyond domestic life.
These groups exist between households and the government, but are not part of either.
Variations in government control: Some civil societies are overseen by the government, questioning their true independence.
Example: Chinese women's movement overseen by the government.
Anthropologists study the dynamics of government oversight in social groups.
Activist Groups
Purpose: Protest or change current conditions, such as political oppression or human rights violations.
Activist groups can be anti-government or anti-big power, raising awareness about government problems.
Example: Comadres of El Salvador: Women protesting government actions against male family members.
Social Capital
Definition: Intangible resources existing through connections, trust, and cooperation with others.
Characteristics:
Not physical or sellable property.
Value lies in trusting relationships.
Example: Networking and business contacts.
Value:
Not immediate or quantifiable but has potential economic or emotional support.
Business card example: Using a contact for job opportunities.
Chapter Summary
Covered:
Definitions and varieties of social groups.
Social stratification and its types in different cultures.
Civil society: operations and examples.
Resources within social groups.