SOCAssignment 04 - SOC 100 assignment 4 covering chapter 9 PDF

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SOC 100 Online: Principles of SociologyAssignment #For each of the following questions, use examples from each of the readings and/or videos whenever possible to support your answers. Whenever you are asked to give an example, you need to provide your own example; examples discussed in the book will...

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SOC 100 Online: Principles of Sociology Assignment #4 For each of the following questions, use examples from each of the readings and/or videos whenever possible to support your answers. Whenever you are asked to give an example, you need to provide your own example; examples discussed in the book will not be accepted.

1. (a) Why does stratification exist? Discuss how each of the three theoretical perspectives – functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism – would answer this question. (b) Which of these theories do you think best explains why stratification exists? Why do you believe that this theory is most accurate? Answers should be approximately 2-3 paragraphs (5 points) Stratification exist in order to visualize and differentiate socioeconomic tiers in society. In a functionalist mindset, like Davis and Moore, social stratification is necessary in society to promote efficient productivity. Conflict theorist see social stratification as a way to maintain inequality within a society. A symbolic interaction theorist would see stratification as a way for people to be able to interact with people of the same social standing. A conflict theorists’ perspective best explains why stratification exist because with systems like the Caste, inequality is maintained. Although, social standings can change and moving to a higher tier is possible, it is also very uncommon and unlikely. For example, the “Snuggie” was created after the idea was stolen from another guy. The man who made the original was unsuccessful and did not move from his social standing despite his hard work. I agree with the functionalism perspective of incentives, but the conflict theorist perspective seems more accurate in that having those incentives do not always promise movement from standing. Also, with the Caste system there aren’t incentives or equally opportunity because the point is to keep the people divided, thus maintaining the inequality like conflict theorist suggest.

2. (a) What is social mobility? (b) What are the different types of social mobility? Define each of these types. (c) Provide an example of each type of social mobility. Answers should be approximately 1-2 paragraphs (5 points) Social mobility is the ability to change positions within social standing/stratification. The types of social mobility are, upward, downward, intergenerational, intragenerational and structural mobility. Upward is an increase of social class, for example both Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates practiced upward mobility after dropping out of college and becoming billionaires. Downward mobility is a decrease of social class, for example due to the middle class decreasing, a family of the lower middle class may become a lower-class family due to a member losing their job. Intergenerational mobility is movement of social classes within different generations. An example is a person born into an upper-class family becoming middle-class and raising their children in the middle class, but the grandchildren living as lower-class citizens due to changes in the economy. Intragenerational mobility is a difference of social class within the same

generation. For example, my sister is a part of the upper-middle class, whereas our cousins are a part of the lower-class. Structural mobility is movement within social classes as a society, for example due to our current economy, the middle class will shift downward and become all lower-class citizens.

3. Compare and contrast modernization theory and dependency theory. What does each theory suggest about why certain countries are wealthy and why certain countries are poor? Answers should be approximately 1-2 paragraphs (5 points) Modernization theory is the idea that low-income countries can fix their economic standing with industrialization and changing aspects of their culture whereas dependency theory is the idea that low-income nations are dependent of core nations because the core nations exploited them. Modernization suggest that a country’s wealth is primarily from industrialization and being developed. Dependency theory suggest that a country’s wealthy is from the exploitation of countries that are not as economically advanced.

The Following Question is from Reading 11 in Sociology in Action (Long: U.S. Inequality Keeps Getting Uglier) 4. How has income changed for the very wealthy in the U.S.? How has income changed for the bottom 50% of Americans? What are some factors that have contributed to the increase in income inequality in the U.S.? Answers should be approximately a few sentences (5 points) In the U.S the very wealthy makes three times more than they did almost forty years ago. During the same amount of time for income of the wealthy is multiply by three, income for the bottom 50% of U.S citizens has not changed at all. Factors that contribute to the rise of income inequality are trade, globalization and technology

The following Question is from Reading 21 in Sociology in Action (Hjelmgaard: Study: 8 People Have Same Wealth as World’s Poorest Half) 5. What role does globalization play in understanding the increase in global income inequality? What are some potential consequences of rising global inequality? Who benefits and who is disadvantaged by this trend? Answers should be approximately a few sentences (5 points) Globalization is the international integration of markets and technology. Understanding globalization allows people to be aware of how it factors into global income inequality in that it can lead to increases and decreases of job opportunities. A potential consequence is higher poverty for multiple nations including core nations. Another potential consequence is an increase

of crime and political instability within nations. The only people benefiting from this trend of inequality are people similar to the billionaires from the reading, while all people below struggle not only economically but socially....