gender stratification

Examples of gender stratification in the following topics:

• The Feminist Perspective

  • Feminist theory analyzes gender stratification through the intersection of gender, race, and class.
  • In sociology, social stratification occurs when differences lead to greater status, power, or privilege for some groups over others.
  • Gender stratification occurs when gender differences give men greater privilege and power over women, transgender, and gender-non-conforming people.
  • Conflict theory posits that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society, with inequality perpetuated because it benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor.
  • The feminist perspective of gender stratification more recently takes into account intersectionality, a feminist sociological theory first highlighted by feminist-sociologist Kimberlé Crenshaw.

• The Conflict Perspective

  • The theory proposes that different biological, social, and cultural factors, such as as gender, race, and class, do not operate in isolation of one antoher.
  • This theory will be further discussed under the feminist perspective of gender stratification in the chapter, "Understanding Gender Stratification and Inequality".

• Gender and Health

  • Disparities in health services play out based on different systems of stratification, such as gender.
  • There are a number of ways in which health disparities play out based on different systems of stratification.
  • Researchers also find health disparities based on gender stratification.
  • This often means a focus on gender-equality, ensuring participation, but includes an understanding of the different roles and expectations of the genders within the community.
  • Examine the role gender plays in health care services, particularly for women

• Gender and Research

  • Gender, and how it is shaped by societal influences, is an important focus of much sociological research.
  • Sociological research will study such things as social stratification between genders, the socialization of gender, influences of sexism on educational performance, gender and mass media, inequality in the workplace, gender roles and social norms , and other gender-related topics and social phenomena.
  • For example, a sociologist interested in gender stratification in education may study why middle-school girls are more likely than their male counterparts to fall behind grade-level expectations in math and science.
  • Other conceptions of gender influenced by queer theory see gender as multidimensional, fluid and shifting; something that cannot be plotted linearly at all.
  • Sex and gender research, therefore, focus on different areas of study.

• Introduction

  • Stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of people in a society.
  • This chapter focuses on economic stratification; meaning how people are differentiated based upon their wealth (and/or power).
  • Sociology has a long history of studying stratification and teaching about various kinds of inequality, including economic inequality, racial/ethnic inequality, gender inequality, and other types of inequality.
  • The chapter then turns to dominant theories on stratification, and explores class, race, and gender inequality in more detail.

• The Cross-Cultural Perspective

  • Gender roles vary significantly across cultures.
  • These social barriers to gender equality exist in the face of legal equality.
  • Chilean law has recently undergone some drastic changes to support gender equality.
  • Historically, gender has been an important principle of Japanese social stratification but the cultural elaboration of gender differences has, of course, varied over time and within social class.
  • However, gender inequality continues in family life, the workplace, and popular values.

• Stratification

  • Global stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals and groups in societies around the world.
  • Sociologists speak of stratification in terms of socioeconomic status (SES).
  • While stratification is most commonly associated with socioeconomic status, society is also stratified by statuses such as race and gender.
  • Together with SES, race and gender shape the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges among individuals.
  • Analyze the three dominant theories that attempt to explain global stratification

• Global Stratification and Inequality

  • Classic sociologist Max Weber analyzed three dimensions of stratification: class, status, and party.
  • Modern sociologists, however, generally speak of stratification in terms of socioeconomic status (SES).
  • Stratification refers to the range of social classes that result from variations in socioeconomic status.
  • While stratification is most commonly associated with socioeconomic status, society is also stratified by statuses such as race and gender.
  • Stratification is generally analyzed from three different perspectives: micro, meso, and macro.

• Power and Inequality

  • Social inequality can emerge through a society's understanding of appropriate gender roles, or through the prevalence of social stereotyping.
  • Theories of social stratification are based on four basic principles:
  • Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences.
  • Social stratification has been shown to cause many social problems.
  • The process of being ranked can be changed by the person being ranked, and it can differ based on race, gender, and social class.

• Open vs. Closed Stratification Systems

  •  Social stratification describes the socioeconomic levels of a society as "layers," with the wealthiest and most powerful citizens being at the top.
  • Sociologists who study stratification have identified open class systems and compared them to closed class systems.
  • Status based on family background, ethnicity, gender, and religion, which is also known as "ascribed status," is less important.
  • The United States exhibits an open stratification system, where individuals can move between social statuses based on achievement.
  • This fifteenth-century woodcutting illustrates the closed stratification system of the three estates of the French Ancien Régime.