What Is Social Stratification, and Why Does It Matter

Social stratification refers to the way people are ranked and ordered in society. In Western countries, this stratification primarily occurs as a result of socioeconomic status in which a hierarchy determines the groups most likely to gain access to financial resources and forms of privilege. Typically, the upper classes have the most access to these resources while the lower classes may get few or none of them, putting them at a distinct disadvantage. Key Takeaways: Social Stratification Sociologists use the term social stratification to refer to social hierarchies. Those higher in social hierarchies have greater access to power and resources.In the United States, social stratification is often based on income and wealth.Sociologists emphasize the importance of taking an intersectional approach to understanding social stratification; that is, an approach that acknowledges the influence of racism, sexism, and heterosexism, among other factors.Access to education—and barriers to education such as systemic racism—are factors that perpetuate inequality.   Wealth Stratification A look at wealth stratification in the U.S. reveals a deeply unequal society in which the top 10% of households control 70% of the nations riches, according to a 2019 study released by the Federal Reserve. In 1989, they represented just 60%, an indication that class divides are growing rather than closing. The Federal Reserve attributes this trend to the richest Americans acquiring more assets; the financial crisis that devastated the housing market also contributed to the wealth gap. Social stratification isnt just based on wealth, however. In some societies, tribal affiliations, age, or caste result in stratification. In groups and organizations, stratification may take the form of a distribution of power and authority down the ranks. Think of the different ways that status is determined in the military, schools, clubs, businesses, and even groupings of friends and peers. Regardless of the form it takes, social stratification can manifest as the ability to make rules, decisions, and establish notions of right and wrong. Additionally, this power can be manifested as the capacity to control the distribution of resources and determine the opportunities, rights, and obligations of others. The Role of Intersectionality Sociologists recognize that a variety of factors, including  social class,  race,  gender, sexuality, nationality, and sometimes religion, influence stratification. As such, they tend to take an intersectional approach to analyzing the phenomenon. This approach recognizes that systems of oppression intersect to shape peoples lives and to sort them into hierarchies. Consequently, sociologists view racism,  sexism, and heterosexism as playing significant and troubling roles in these processes as well. In this vein, sociologists recognize that racism and sexism affect ones accrual of wealth and power in society. The relationship between systems of oppression and social stratification is made clear by U.S. Census data that show a long-term gender wage and wealth gap has plagued women for decades, and though it has narrowed a bit over the years, it still thrives today. An intersectional approach reveals that black and Latina women, who make 61 and 53 cents, respectively, for every dollar earned by a white male, are affected by the gender wage gap more negatively than white women, who earn 77 cents on that dollar, according to a report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Education as a Factor Social science studies show that one’s level of education is positively correlated with income and wealth. A survey of young adults in the U.S. found that those with at least a college degree are nearly four times as wealthy as the average young person. They also have 8.3 times as much wealth as those who just completed high school. These findings show that education clearly plays a role in social stratification, but race intersects with academic achievement in the U.S. as well. The Pew Research Center has reported that completion of college is stratified by ethnicity. An estimated 63% of Asian Americans and 41% of whites graduate from college compared to 22% of blacks and 15% of Latinos. This data reveals that systemic racism shapes access to higher education, which, in turn, affects ones income and wealth. According to the Urban Institute, the average Latino family had just 20.9% of the wealth of the average white family in 2016. During the same timeframe, the average black family had a mere 15.2% of the wealth of their white counterparts. Ultimately, wealth, education, and race intersect in ways that create a stratified society.

Havisham and Havisham Free Essays

Miss Havisham and Havisham: Two Entirely Different People Carol Anne Duffy’s poem is intertextual. The character Havisham was built, off of Charles Dickens â€Å"Great Expectations† and more specifically off of Miss Havisham. Both Miss Havisham and Havisham are described as decaying skeletons and because of their similar names it would make sense to think of them as the same person, but are they really? At my first glance it seemed as if both Dickens’ and Duffy’s Havisham were the same character and I will admit there are some similarities like their obsession, but even these so called similarities have differences at their core. We will write a custom essay sample on Havisham and Havisham or any similar topic only for you Order Now In reality they are very different characters that act differently and have different personalities. Even the way they are depicted, is very differently from one another, but when one looks at them together they do seem to help Dickens’ Miss Havisham be seen in a different life; a more human light. So even if the do seem similar, they are in fact very different. You can see these differences most strongly by looking at the Havisham’s personalities. Dickens’ Miss Havisham is strong, powerful and driven for revenge towards Compeyson, and every other man alive. She even plans to and manipulates Estella so she may complete her revenge and hurt many men the way she has been hurt. Duffy’s Havisham on the other hand seems to be more fragile and weak and tells everyone she hates â€Å"him† but seems to be tottering on the edge of her conviction and on the edge of her desire for him. Both Miss Havisham and Havisham seem to have a strong obsession, both are obsessed with their former fiance and have lead there life surrounding themselves with that obsession. Dickens’ Miss Havisham obsession does tend to differ from Duffy’s Havisham. Dickens’ Havisham is obsessed with destroying and breaking any and all men she meets. Her obsession has even lead her to destroying Estella, the only one that she had at first sought to protect. My Dear! Believe this: when she first came to me, I meant to save her from misery like my own. At first I meant no more. † â€Å"Well, well! † said I. â€Å"I hope so. † â€Å"But as she grew, and promised to be very beautiful, I gradually did worse, and with my praises, and with my jewels, and with my teachings, and with this figure of myself always before her a warning to back and point my essons, I stole her heart away and put ice in its place (Dickens 365) At first, Miss Havisham wished to protect Estella from the harsh world, to protect her from any man who would hurt her as she herself was hurt, but obsession lead her down a darker path. We can see part of this darkness when she tries to make Pip like herself, to make him obsessed and live his life trapped by his love for Estella, just like she lived her life for preserving the time before she was left by Compeyson. We can see her fueling his love for Estella several times throughout the novel, one of the most noticeable would be when she tells him to love Estella even if she hurts him. â€Å"Love her, love her, love her! How does she use you? ‘ Before I could answer †¦ she repeated, ‘Love her, love her, lover her! If she favours you, love her. If she wounds you, love her. If she tears your heart to pieces – and as it gets older and stronger, it will tear deeper – love her, love her, love her! † (Dickens 219). Pip, like Estella is becoming a marionette for Miss Havisham’s obsession, for if she could not have a life of happiness, a life being married to the one she thought loved her, no one could. Her revenge towards the man she once loved turns her bitter and twisted, putting anyone in her path in danger. At this time she is like a broken toy, malfunctioning and working herself into a frenzy, her revenge that started off towards one man has become a revenge and hatred towards love, and anyone who may achieve it. The Havisham from Duffy’s poem seems to have a more single minded obsession. She is obsessed with what has happened to her and the one who did this to her. Her obsession for the man who jilted her takes both and envious and murderous tone, for example she has â€Å"dark green pebbles for eyes† and â€Å"ropes on the back of my hands [she] could strangle with†(Duffy Lines 3-4). No her eyes have not turned into pebbles, but she is envious and jealous of her former lover, after all she is rotting from the inside out while he is living without even having regretted hurting her. The â€Å"ropes† on the back of her hands could mean many things but it could be an indication of her age, or her veins swollen with age and sticking off of her corpse like body. The fact she could strangle with her own veins shows a sinister scene, who she wishes to strangle could be herself but is most likely the man who jilted her. The only real similarity between the Havishams would be there decayed appearance. After all both of Havisham descriptions are dark and tend to make them seem like the living dead of skeletons; for example Dickens’ Havisham is described as follows; I saw that the bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress, and like the flowers, and had no brightness left but the brightness of her sunken eyes. I saw that the dress had been put upon the rounded figure of a young woman, and that the figure upon which it now hung loose, had shrunk to skin and bone. †¦ Now, waxwork and skeleton seemed to have dark eyes that moved and looked at me (Dickens 52) Miss Havisham has decayed and withered away, she still wears her bridal dress, and it has yellowed and decayed along with her. She has no substance, she is a person that has already died long ago, and only an empty crazed shell remains. Duffy’s Havisham has a similar description, â€Å"Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days/ in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress/ yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;/ the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this/ to me? †(Duffy Lines 5-9). Havisham has both the appearance of Miss Havisham and her name, she even is still wearing her own bridal dress, even after all the years it has been since she was jilted. She has also yellowed, decayed and her withered body trembles from the strain of life. But Havisham spends days â€Å"cawing† at the wall, she has gone past the point of straight forwardly get revenge, her words are choppy, disconnected and she can’t seem to follow a though. She has fractured mentally and can only think of her pain from being betrayed. She, unlike Miss Havisham, has no grip on reality and cannot accomplish her revenge. Another one of the differences between the Havisham is that Dickens Miss Havisham is strong and steady in her desires, whereas Duffy’s Havisham is weak and wavers in her feelings. Miss Havisham is defined by her rejection on her wedding day. She is determined to live in heartbreak while making it impossible for those around her to have healthy relationships. She stops all the clocks, she wears the same dress, she never eats in front of anyone and only every wears one shoe. She essentially stopped time for herself by not allowing anything to change after she learns about her lover’s betrayal and her determination has helped her to do this. â€Å"I’ll tell you what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smiter–as I did† (Dickens 219). Duffy’s Havisham on the other hand is constantly wavering, she can seem to make up her mind about her true feelings, and after all when you look at how broken she is it is not a big surprise. Even her fist line has a contradiction about her feelings, â€Å"Beloved sweetheart bastard. †¦ / Some nights better, the lost body over me,/ my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear/ then down till I suddenly bite awake†(Duffy Lines 1, 10 -12). After seeing these lines we can be sure that Havisham has mixed feelings about her ex-fiance. She obviously bounces between bitter hatred and self-loathing that she still desires them. Her ex is both something that she finds beloved and a sweetheart, but also feels betrayed by; after all she does call him a bastard. We can see she still desires his body when she speaks about â€Å"the lost body† on top of her. But you can see her bitterness remains by her dehumanization of him. When you first read â€Å"Great Expectations† Miss Havisham does not seem to be real. She seemed to me to be a creation from a child’s imagination. She is a ghost, a skeleton and an engineer who takes pleasure in manipulating everyone from Estella to Pip. Though after having read Duffy’s Havisham, it seems as if Miss Havisham is more human. Duffy’s Havisham wants to have â€Å"a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon† (Duffy Line 15). She is quite twisted according to our standards and makes Dickens’ Miss Havisham seem tame and mild is they are shown together. Havisham is dark and has a slightly murderous intent; she is violent and is more dangerous, especially if we compare her to Miss Havisham. Havisham is but a tool to make Miss Havisham seem softer, and nicer. A tool that makes it possible to have pity upon Miss Havsham and place the blame of her current state upon her insensitive ex-fiance Compeyson. So, in conclusion, the two Havishams that at first seem to be one and the same are in fact different. Dickens’ Havisham is strong and unwavering, determined and manipulative, while Duffy’s Havisham is weak and wavering, helpless yet dangerous. They both have very different personalities, and very different ways of looking at things. They are two completely different individuals that just happen to have a similar name and appearance. They don’t act the same; they don’t have the same desires or motives so they can not be the same person. When they are placed side by side they just use each other to let the other be seen in a different light. Whether we see a crazed, dark evil or a pitiful, lonely soul depends on the Havisham you wish to view. Works Cited Dickens, Charles, and Margaret Cardwell. Great Expectations. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print. Duffy, Carol Ann. â€Å"Havisham. †Ã‚  Introduction to English Studies. North Bay: Nipissing University Coursepack, 2012. Black Board. C. McFarlane. Web. 02 Mar. 2012. How to cite Havisham and Havisham, Papers

Objectives and Importance of HRM free essay sample

Scott, Clothier and Spriegal posits that organization objectives of Human Resource Management is to identify and sustain high level of employees development, as well as a desirable working relationships between employers and employees and employers and employees, and to affect the moulding of human resources as contrasted with physical resources. In recognition of the organizational goals the primary objective of human resource management is to contribute towards it through making strides to meet these goals. Nevertheless, the precise objectives of human resource management are to guarantee human resources in the organization are effectively utilized and all other organisational resources ought to be efficiently utilised by the human resources. Another objective of human resource management is to establish and maintain an adequate organisational structure of relationship among all the members of an organisation by dividing of organisation tasks into functions, positions and jobs, and by defining clearly the responsibility, accountability, authority for each job and its relation with other jobs in the organisation. We will write a custom essay sample on Objectives and Importance of HRM or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Human resource management ought to generate maximum development of human resources within the organisation by offering opportunities for advancement to employees through training and education. To ensure respect for human beings by providing various services and welfare facilities to the staff is also an objective of human resource management, as well as to ensure understanding of individual or group goals with those of the organisation in such a manner that the employee feels a sense of commitment and loyalty towards it. It also is objected to identify and satisfy the needs of individuals by offering various monetary and non-monetary rewards. Human resource management undertakes numerous activities in order to achieve the above objectives such as human resource planning, recruitment, selection and placement of workers, training and development of employees for their efficient performance and growth, appraisal of performance of employees and taking corrective steps such as  transfer from one job to another, motivation of workforce by providing financial incentives and avenues of promotion and remuneration of employees. The employees must be given sufficient wages and frin ge benefits to achieve higher standard of living and to motivate them to show higher productivity as well as social security and welfare of employees. Human Resource Management has a place of great importance in the organization. Peter F. Drucker posits that the proper or improper use of the different factors of production depend on the wishes of the human resources. Hence, besides other resources human resources need more development. Human resources can increase cooperation but it needs proper and efficient management to guide it. Importance of staff management is in reality the importance of labour functions of personnel department which are indispensable to the management activity itself. Because of the following reasons human resource management holds a place of importance, some of which is that it helps management in the preparation adoption and continuing evolution of personnel programmes and policies. It supplies skilled workers through scientific selection process, as well as ensures maximum benefit out of the expenditure on training and development and appreciates the human assets. Human resource management prepares workers according to the changing needs of industry and environment. It motivates workers and upgrades them so as to enable them to accomplish the organisation goals. Through innovation and experimentation in the fields of personnel, it helps in reducing casts and helps in increasing productivity. It contributes a lot in restoring the industrial harmony and healthy employer-employee relations. It establishes mechanism for the administration of personnel services that are delegated to the personnel department. Thus, the role of human resource management is very important in an organisation and it should not be undermined especially in large scale enterprises. It is the key to the whole organisation and related to all other activities of the management that is marketing, production, finance.

Americans On The Eve Of The Revolution essays

Americans On The Eve Of The Revolution essays Americans at the Eve of the Revolution Prior to the Revolutionary war, early Americans were struggling to find their identity among the rest of the world. As they strived for independence, England began to bear down on the colonies and take away the cherished self-government that tee colonists had enjoyed to this point. The colonists began to band together in a common interest. Independence. The energetic, ambitious, independent-minded colonists were no longer willing to live under English control. Tired of unfair taxation, unequal rights, and unreasonable laws, colonists were ready for change. The English were in great debt following the French-Indian War along with other military campaigns throughout Europe. In realization that debts needed to be paid, the English immediately looked to the colonies to solve financial burdens. The Parliament soon passed and enforced many laws and taxes to raise money to revive a struggling government. The colonists who lived in practical freedom now faced a life controlled by selfish monarchs an ocean away. The passing of the Proclamation of 1763, which took hard-earned land from colonists, and the Trade and Navigation Acts, which forced merchants to stop in England en route to their trade destination, greatly disturbed the freedom they had. The Stamp Act of 1765, perhaps the most hated tax the British implemented, had an effect that would progress beyond any reasonable prediction. Led by Samuel Adams, the Stamp Act Congress was formed. This was the first cooperation among the colonies. The congress ordered a boycott on all British Goods. England soon revoked the Stamp Act. I believe that this was a huge encouragement for the Americans it their march towards independence. Many colonists of this time were unhappy with the way England was governing America. The British Statesman, Edmund Burke, greatly empathized with the Americans. D ...

Case Note Essay

Case Note Essay Case Note Essay Case Note Smith v. Shannon, 100 Wn. 2d 26, 666 P.2d 351 (1983) Facts In February 1976, Vera Smith was referred by her attending physician Dr. Raymond Lynberg to Dr. Roger Shannon, a radiologist with defendant Radiology Associates of Spokane. Regarding Ms. Smith’s possible kidney complications, Dr. Shannon chose to administer an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) to Ms. Smith and took X-rays on her kidneys and ureters. Before administering the IVP, Dr. Shannon informed the patient of some possible risks along with the treatment. She might become flushed, nauseous and unconscious. However, he did not inform her of 10 other risks mentioned in the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR). In this case, Renographin-60, as the contrast agent, might cause thrombophlebitis to the patient, but Dr. Shannon did not inform his patient of this information. Ms. Smith began to sneeze and experienced a shooting pain down her arm while receiving the injection. But Dr. Shannon viewed these reactions as insignificant and didn’t notice her pain. A week after t he IVP, Ms. Smith visited Dr. Lynberg for the pain in her arm persisted. And Dr. Lynberg diagnosed reactive phlebitis, an inflammation of the vein in reaction to the Renographin-60. The plaintiff’s pain has continued and she has seen several physicians and been through related surgery twice. Specialists have diagnosed her pain as caused by damage to the nerves in her arm. But the record does not disclose whether or how this damage is related to Dr. Lynberg’s initial diagnosis of reaction phlebitis. Procedural History Ms. Smith filed a suit under two cause of action against Dr. Shannon. One is that Dr. Shannon is negligent; the other is that he failed to obtain her informed consent. However, the trial court dismissed Ms. Smith’s claim of the physician’s negligence, since she had not demonstrated any deviation by Dr. Shannon from the established standard of medical practice. Also, the trial court rejected Ms. Smith’s second claim, on the ground that though Dr. Shannon didn’t inform her of all risks described in the PDR, the plaintiff had failed to prove that the information â€Å"was in fact medically important or recognized risks†. The trial court especially noted that Ms. Smith had failed to provide sufficient expert testimony on the issue and it considered such testimony necessary. Ms. Smith appealed and the Washington Supreme Court affirms the trial court’s judgment that a valid disclosure was made and that the claimed error in determ ining negligence had not been preserved for appeal Discussion As to the lacking informed consent claim, the Court firstly points out that the doctrine of informed consent is premised on the fundamental principle that â€Å"every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body†. Schloendorff v. Society of N.Y. Hosp., 211 N.Y. 125, 129, 105 N.E. 92 (1914) (Cardozo, J.). A physician should inform his or her patient of the attendant risks of the treatment and obtain the patient’s consent. In Washington state, Miller v. Kennedy, 85 Wn.2d 151, 152, 530 P.2d 334 (1975) is the seminal case on this doctrine. In Miller, the Court of Appeals emphasized that it is for the patient to evaluate the risks of treatment and that the only role to be played by the physician is to provide the patient with information as to what those risks are. It is the patient to determine what information should be disclosed; otherwise, it would be in direct conflict with the underlying principle of patie nt sovereignty. However, it does not mean that every risk, no matter how minute, must be disclosed. Only when the possible risks are of a serious nature should them be disclosed by the physician. That is, â€Å"the guide for disclosure is materiality†. Miller, at 287. The test of materiality is an objective one incorporating the underlying concept of patient sovereignty. If the specific risk is

Gu Kaizhi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Gu Kaizhi - Research Paper Example essay will seek to analyze the life and artwork of Gu Kaizhi so as to present to the reader a more complete biographical and technical understanding of the man and his artwork as well as to impress upon the reader the total contributions and levels of expertise that this artist exhibited. Born in 344 AD, Gu Kaizhi’s brief 62 years of life saw the development and growth of one of the most talented and prolific Chinese artists that had lived up until that point in time. Gu was born into a rather noble family and was subsequently schooled in a variety of art forms to include military training, literature, poetry, calligraphy, and music. Such a privileged life helped him to experience an exceptionally well rounded education that many other artists did not have the pleasure of. Although skilled in many artforms and able to express himself within the art of poetry at a very young age, Gu turned to the medium of artwork in the form of paintings by the age of 20 (364 AD). It was at this point that Gu began a long and storied career that would see him be named the father of Chinese artwork. Though such a title is of course a bit of stretch as talented artists existed long before him, the fact of the matter is that he had a profound and lasting effect on the way that ar twork was defined and practiced within China. Additionally, his incorporation of traditional Chinese virtues, stories, characters, and motifs helped to endear him to subsequent generations of artists that began to see his work not only as indicative of high art but exemplification of traditional Chinese art as a function of culture. Due to the historical record at that time, it is nearly impossible to verify some of the stories that exist regarding Gu as he began to embark upon his career as an artist. However, regardless of the voracity of some of these anecdotes, they have nonetheless continued to exist and provide the reader with useful insights into both the merits of Gu’s artwork as well as

The history of ancient India. Harppan Culture Research Paper

The history of ancient India. Harppan Culture - Research Paper Example But excavations at Harappa and Mohanjo-Daro changed the complete viewpoint and old beliefs. Starting with the finding of Harappa, almost thousand conclusions with comparable characters have been exposed. Scholars named it ‘Indus valley civilization’ (Around the Indus in 90 Slides par. 1). Indus valley civilization developed at two centers-Harappa and Mohanjodaro. Harappa is in Montgomery district of the Punjab (now in Pakistan). Mohanjodaro is in Larkana district of Sind (now in Pakistan). Mohanjodaro means ‘the mount of the dead’. The distance between these two centers is 650 Kms. According to the famous archeologist Sir John Marshall, Harappan civilization is about 5000 years old. The town planning and material life of the Harappan culture were really great. Archeologist like â€Å"Mortimer Wheeler and Stuart Piggot believed that the Harappan towns had a remarkable unity of conception† (Unit 6: Material Characteristics 21). Each town was divided int o two parts. In one part, the citadel indicated where the rulers lived. In the other part of the town, the ruled, and the poor lived. â€Å"The most ancient paw marks of human actions in India go back to the Paleolithic Age, around between 400,000 and 200,000 B.C.