Blacksacademy
Sociology
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Subject: Stratification and Diversification
Title : Tom Bottomore: Classes in Modern Britain
I - The Nature of Social ClassBottomore defines social stratification to be “any hierarchical ordering of social groups or strata in a society.” The older forms of social stratification are based on slavery, caste or estate; newer forms are based on social class (that is, economic class) or status group.
He takes the view that social stratification does not rest on biological difference. He also quotes T.H. Marshall (1950) who wrote, “the institution of class teaches the members of a society to notice some differences and to ignore others when arranging persons in order of social merit.” Class is maintained through inheritance: “... inequalities of incomes depends very largely upon the unequal distribution of property through inheritance, and not primarily upon the differences in earned income..”
Class differences do not arise out of differences in abilities – we do not live in a meritocracy: “... intellectual ability ... is by no means always rewarded with high income or high social status, nor lack of ability with the opposite.”
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Subject: Stratification and Diversification
Title : Theories of Racism
Psychological theories of racismPsychological theories of racism argue that racism is a form of extreme prejudice and is a manifestation of the psychological process of social perception. A prejudice is a form of extreme stereotype, and a stereotype is an attitude of one person towards another individual or group. Prejudices are forms of group stereotypes, and the formation of group stereotypes is a product of the formation of attitudes.
Prejudices are linked to ego-defence – the adoption of attitudes that serve to bolster the selfesteem of the individual that holds them.
Tajfel’s social identity theory maintains that individuals naturally strive for positive self-image, and social identity is enhanced by the process of categorising people into in-groups and out-groups. In other words, social psychologists have a tendency to see no need to look outside the concepts of social psychology in order to explain the formation of prejudice. Some psychologists also maintain that there is a distinct personality type that is inclined to adopt racist attitudes. The Frankfurt school in particular ...
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