Social stratification refers to the way society is organised in layers or strata, with some groups having more power, wealth and opportunities than others. Think of it like a layer cake – different layers represent different social positions and not everyone gets an equal slice!
Key Definitions:
Social stratification isn't just about who has more money. It affects almost every aspect of our lives - from how long we might live, to our educational opportunities, to how we're treated by others. Understanding stratification helps us make sense of inequality and work towards a fairer society.
Traditionally, sociologists might have studied class, gender, or ethnicity separately. But real people don't experience these aspects of identity in isolation. A working-class Black woman has different experiences than a working-class white woman or a middle-class Black woman. This is where intersectionality comes in!
The term "intersectionality" was coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. She used it to explain how Black women faced discrimination that was neither just about race nor just about gender, but a unique combination of both. Today, sociologists use intersectionality to understand how multiple factors work together to shape people's experiences.
Age affects how we're treated in society. Young people might face assumptions about being irresponsible, while older people might experience ageism in employment. Age intersects with other factors - for example, older women often face more discrimination than older men.
Ethnicity refers to shared cultural heritage, including language, religion and traditions. Ethnic minorities often experience discrimination in education, employment and criminal justice. These experiences vary depending on other aspects of identity.
Gender affects everything from pay (the gender pay gap) to expectations about behaviour and appearance. Gender intersects with other factors - for instance, working-class women often face different challenges than middle-class women.
Social class refers to economic position and social status. It affects access to education, healthcare, housing and cultural experiences. Class privilege or disadvantage looks different when combined with other aspects of identity.
The key insight of intersectionality is that these factors don't just add up - they interact in complex ways. For example:
Research shows that in the UK, white working-class boys have some of the lowest educational attainment. Meanwhile, Chinese-heritage girls tend to have high attainment regardless of class. This demonstrates intersectionality in action - it's not just about class, or just about ethnicity, or just about gender, but how these factors work together.
For example, a white working-class boy might face:
The combination creates a unique educational disadvantage that can't be understood by looking at any single factor.
Feminist sociologists like Patricia Hill Collins developed the concept of the "matrix of domination" to explain how systems of oppression (racism, sexism, classism) interconnect. Black feminists particularly highlighted how mainstream feminism often ignored the experiences of women of colour.
While traditional Marxism focused primarily on class, neo-Marxists recognise how capitalism uses other forms of division (like racism and sexism) to maintain power. They argue that these divisions prevent working-class solidarity and benefit the ruling class.
Intersectionality isn't just an academic concept - it affects real people every day. Here are some examples:
The gender pay gap varies significantly by ethnicity. For example, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women face a larger pay gap compared to white women. Age adds another dimension, with older women often facing the "double jeopardy" of ageism and sexism.
Educational achievement varies by the intersection of class, ethnicity and gender. For instance, Black Caribbean boys from low-income families face particular challenges in the UK education system compared to other groups.
Access to and experiences of healthcare vary by the intersection of factors. For example, older working-class people from ethnic minorities may face language barriers, cultural misunderstandings and class-based assumptions from healthcare providers.
Understanding intersectionality is crucial for creating effective social policies. Policies that only address one aspect of inequality (like gender) might miss how that inequality is experienced differently by people with different ethnic backgrounds or social classes.
For example, a policy to increase women's participation in STEM careers might need different approaches for:
The COVID-19 pandemic showed intersectionality in action. Research found that:
But these factors interacted. For example, being an older South Asian man from a working-class background created a particularly high risk. Understanding these intersections was crucial for developing appropriate public health responses.
Social stratification creates inequality in society, but this inequality isn't experienced the same way by everyone. Intersectionality helps us understand how age, ethnicity, gender and social class work together to create unique advantages and disadvantages.
Remember:
By understanding intersectionality, we can better recognise the complexity of social inequality and work towards a more just society that addresses the needs of all groups.
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