Welcome To
Rural Sociology 1000
Introduction to Rural Sociology
Mary Grigsby
Associate Professor of Rural Sociology
Division of Applied Social Sciences
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Topics of Discussion
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Class Business
Movement in the
Class System
Anderson High
(Case Study)
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Weber and Stratification
Marx and Stratification
Functionalist
Perspective in
Stratification
Weaknesses of
Functionalist
Perspective
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Movement in Class Systems
Term
Definition
Social
Mobility
Movement From One Social Class to Another
Vertical
Mobility
A Change in Class Status That Corresponds to a
Gain or Loss in Rank or Prestige
Downward
Mobility
A Change in Social Class That Corresponds to a
Loss of Rank
Upward
Mobility
A Change in Social Class That Corresponds to a
Gain of Rank
Intragenerational
Vertical Movement During an Individual’s
Lifetime
Mobility
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Questions on Anderson High
1. At Anderson High there are clear status
groups recognized by most students. List
and describe them.
2. Is their a hierarchy present? Are some
groups more desirable than others to
belong to? Who valued them? Why?
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Questions on Anderson High
3. Describe a feature of the stratification
system outside the school that is linked to
status group membership in the school.
4. Do you think social mobility in the Anderson
High stratification system is possible? Why
or why not?
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Weber and Social Class
Social Class Derived From
Marketable Abilities, Access to Consumer Goods and
Services, Control Over the Means of Production, Ability to
Invest in Property
Negatively Privileged
Property Class
Positively Privileged
Property Class
Status Group
Political Parties
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Marx and Social Class
Conflict Between Distinct
Classes Propels Us
To Next Historical Epoch
Key Ideas
of Marx’s
Approach
to Social
Class
Views Social Class In
Terms of Sources of
Income
Conditions of Successful
Revolt Are Multifaceted
and Complex
Functionalist Perspective
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Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore (1945)
Social inequality-the unequal distribution of
social rewards-is the device by which societies
ensure that the most functionally important
occupations are filled by the best-qualified
people.
Unique-requires high degree of training and not
that many people are capable of doing it. Status
is the incentive for undergoing long and difficult
training.
Functionalist Perspective
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The degree to which other occupations depend
on the one in question.
Efficiency weakened if capable people are not
granted access or are overlooked; elite groups
control the avenues of training; parents’
influence and wealth rather than ability
determine the status that their children attain.
Critique of Functionalism
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If societies fail to adjust to fill functionally
important occupations the society as a whole will
suffer and will be unable to compete with other
societies.
Tumin and Simpson showed that the assumption
that rewards are structured in keeping with
functional importance is flawed. (Salaries of pro
athletes compared to elementary school teachers.)
Critique of Functionalism
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Also why is there often differential pay based on
gender and race/ethnicity so many places in the
world?
In the complex division of labor every individual
makes a significant contribution from the garbage
collector to the corporate head.
A Contemporary View of the American Class Structure (Gilbert 2003)
Class, Percent Households
Source of Income Occupation of
Main Earner
Typical Education
Capitalist (1%)
Investors, heirs executives
Selective college or university
Upper-Middle (14%)
Upper managers and
professionals, medium-sized
businesses
College, often post-graduate
study
Middle (30%)
Lower managers, semiprofessional, non-retail sales
workers
At least some high school, often
college
Working (30%)
Operatives, low-paid craftsmen,
clerical workers, retail sales
workers
High school
Working Poor (13%)
Low wage service workers,
laborers, low paid operative,
clerical
Some high school
Underclass (12%)
Unemployed or part-time,
public assistance
Some high school
Privilege Classes
Majority Classes
Lower Classes