JULIE MUKINA
,Introduction
What is Social Stratification?
Social stratification is the ranking of individuals
or groups in a society based on access to
resources, power, and status. It's how society
organizes people into layers or “strata.”
This concept explains why some people have
better jobs, education, housing, or healthcare
than others. Stratification exists everywhere—
whether it’s the class system in the UK, the
caste system in India, or income gaps in Kenya.
💡 Simply put: Social stratification is how
society.
Real-Life Hook:
> Imagine two students: one goes to an
international school, the other struggles in a
rural public school. The first gets scholarships
and job offers, while the second fights just to
survive college.
Why the difference? Social stratification.
, Key Terms (Simplified)
Here are the core concepts you must understand before diving
deeper into social stratification. These are broken down simply for
easy memory:
🔑 1. Stratification
Think of it like a ladder—some are at the top, some at the bottom.
🔑
2. Social Class
A group of people who share similar economic positions.
Example: Upper class, middle class, and lower class.
🔑
3. Caste System
A fixed social ranking you’re born into and can’t change (common
in traditional Indian society).
You can’t move up or down—your status is inherited.
🔑 4. Status
The social honor or respect a person holds in society.
Example: A teacher may earn less money than a businessman but
still be highly respected.
🔑 5. Social Mobility
The ability to move up or down the social ladder.
If a poor student becomes a wealthy doctor, that’s upward
mobility.
🔑 6. Ascribed Status
A status you’re born with (e.g. race, gender, family background).
🔑 7. Achieved Status
A status you earn through choices or efforts (e.g. being a doctor,
artist, or leader).
Comes from your actions and decisions.
📌 Tip for Exams: Most test questions begin by asking you to define
or differentiate these terms. Master them early!
,Introduction
What is Social Stratification?
Social stratification is the ranking of individuals
or groups in a society based on access to
resources, power, and status. It's how society
organizes people into layers or “strata.”
This concept explains why some people have
better jobs, education, housing, or healthcare
than others. Stratification exists everywhere—
whether it’s the class system in the UK, the
caste system in India, or income gaps in Kenya.
💡 Simply put: Social stratification is how
society.
Real-Life Hook:
> Imagine two students: one goes to an
international school, the other struggles in a
rural public school. The first gets scholarships
and job offers, while the second fights just to
survive college.
Why the difference? Social stratification.
, Key Terms (Simplified)
Here are the core concepts you must understand before diving
deeper into social stratification. These are broken down simply for
easy memory:
🔑 1. Stratification
Think of it like a ladder—some are at the top, some at the bottom.
🔑
2. Social Class
A group of people who share similar economic positions.
Example: Upper class, middle class, and lower class.
🔑
3. Caste System
A fixed social ranking you’re born into and can’t change (common
in traditional Indian society).
You can’t move up or down—your status is inherited.
🔑 4. Status
The social honor or respect a person holds in society.
Example: A teacher may earn less money than a businessman but
still be highly respected.
🔑 5. Social Mobility
The ability to move up or down the social ladder.
If a poor student becomes a wealthy doctor, that’s upward
mobility.
🔑 6. Ascribed Status
A status you’re born with (e.g. race, gender, family background).
🔑 7. Achieved Status
A status you earn through choices or efforts (e.g. being a doctor,
artist, or leader).
Comes from your actions and decisions.
📌 Tip for Exams: Most test questions begin by asking you to define
or differentiate these terms. Master them early!
