Social stratification

society classification gradation or categorization of its people into social hierarchy.

1. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION PRESENTED BY- M s . SAMIKSHA KURIYAL (NURSING TUTOR)

2. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION M eaning & types of social stratification T he I ndian caste system – origin & features.  Features of caste system in I ndia today.  S ocial class system and status. S ocial mobility – meaning & types R ace as a biological concept, criteria of racial classification. Influence of class, caste and race on health and health practices..

3. INTRODUCTION S ociety is divided based on economic, social, religious and other aspects. H eterogeneity in the society is called as social stratification. T he concept of “social stratification” is made use of to refer to such classification or degree and placement of people in society.  S tratification assumes three main forms; caste, class and race .

4. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION 1. R aymond W M urray: “Social stratification is a horizontal division of society into higher and lower social units”.  2. O gburn and N imkoff : “The process by which individuals and groups are ranked in a more or less enduring hierarchy of status known as stratification”. 3. G isbert : “Social stratification is the division of society into permanent groups or categories linked with each other by the relationship of superiority and subordination”. TYPES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION :- I t can be divided into system: C aste system – Social  C lass system – Economic  R ace – Hereditary

5. CAST SYSTEM

6. CAST SYSTEM I n I ndia, a special type of social stratification in the form of caste. T he caste is an inseparable aspects of the I ndian society.  It is peculiarly I ndian in origin and development.  O rigin of the word – the “Caste” origin into S panish word ‘ C asta ’ which means “breed, race, strain or a complex of hereditary qualities”. DEFINITION OF CASTE  C.H. Cooley – “ W hen a class is somewhat strictly hereditary, we may call it a caste”. Willams – “ C aste is a system in which an individual’s rank and its accompanying rights and obligations is ascribed on the basis of birth into a particular group” D.N. Mazumdar and T.N. Madan – “ C aste is a closed group”.

7. Origin of Caste system : I t is difficult to trace the origin of caste system – it originated in I ndia – various theories to explain the origin of caste system. R acial theory P olitical theory O ccupation theory T raditional theory G uild theory R eligious theory Evolutionary theory

8. RACIAL THEORY (VARNA)  A ccording to Mazumdar caste system originated after the arrival of A ryans in I ndia.   I ndo- A ryans used the term ‘varna’ which means ‘color’ - in order to differentiate the groups of people.  T hey called it D asa varna – D asa people. R igvedic literature stresses very significantly the difference between the A rya and D asa , not only in their color but also in their speech, religious practices, and physical features.  T hey divided Brahma, K shatra and V aishya – S udra on the basis of varna (race).

9. POLITICAL THEORY C aste system is a clever device invented by the brahmins in order to place themselves on the highest ladder of social hierarchy.    G hurye states, caste is a B rahminic child of I ndo- A ryan culture cradled in the land of the G anges and then transferred to other parts of I ndia.  B rahma, K shatra and V aishya - D vija (twice born) S udra - E kjati (once born) B ased on their duties.

10. OCCUPATIONAL THEORY O ccupation is the base for the origin of caste system.  O ccupation is the base for the origin of caste system.  N esfield views – functions and function alone is responsible for the origin of caste structure in I ndia. O ccupational differentiation and numerous subcaste such as L ohar , Sonar, N ai , M ali etc., TRADITIONAL THEORY T he caste system is of divine (godly) origin. A ccording to this theory castes were created by brahma in order to make human beings to harmoniously (part of body) perform various social functions necessary for the maintenance of society.

11. GUILD THEORY  D enzil I bbetson, consider that caste are modified forms of guilds.  It is the product of interaction of three forces T ribes G uilds R eligion  T he priests followed hereditary and endogamous group. T he other guilds also adopted the same practices and in course of time became caste. RELIGIOUS THEORY  H ocart and S enart are the two main advocates of religious theory. H ocart , its originated on account of religious principles and customs. S enart , has tried to explain the origin of caste system on the basis of prohibitions regarding sacramental food.    

12. EVOLUTIONARY THEORY T his theory reveals that the caste system did not emerge all of a sudden or at a particular date – it evolved gradually – factors responsible for the evolution of caste system are: H ereditary occupation – the intention of the brahmins to keep themselves pure – beliefs in the ideas of karma and rebirth – ideas of exclusive family, ancestor worship and the sacramental meal – racial clashes and color prejudices – geographical isolation of I ndian peninsula – static nature of H indu society – foreign invasions – rural economic structure.     FEATURES OF CASTE SYSTEM S egmental division of society. S ocial and religious hierarchy. R estrictions on feeding and social intercourse. E ndogamy. R estricted choice of occupation. Ci vil and religious disabilities.  

13. Segmental division of society - T he society is divided into various castes with a well developed life of their own. T he status of a person does not depend on his wealth but on the traditional importance of the caste. S ocial and religious hierarchy- T he brahmin in I ndia stand at the apex of the social ladder. I n difference to the high position enjoyed by brahmins and S udras were subjected to manifold disabilities R estrictions on feeding and social intercourse - caste is the complex of taboos by which the superior castes try to preserve their ceremonial purity. the caste have rules are laid down with regard to the kind of food that can be acceptable by a person and from what castes.

14. E ndogamy - E very caste is sub-divided into sub-castes, everyone of which forbids its members to marry persons outside it. R estricted choice of occupation - M embers of a particular caste are expected to follow the caste occupation. T he caste members did not allow other than own to follow their occupation.  C ivil and religious disabilities - T he impure castes are made to live on the outskirts of the city. etc., T he public schools did not admit impure castes person.  

15. FEATURES OF CASTE IN INDIA TODAY  R estrictions on food habits have been relaxed.  C aste is not very much associated with the hereditary occupation E xogamy (inter-caste or inter-religion marriage). T he constitution of I ndia removed and made all caste are equal C aste panchayat have either become very weak.  T ouchable and untouchable is not felt among literate people. T he influence of caste system is slowly decreasing. S ocial interaction and social relationships has been establishing in the society without seeking the caste background. I t is not dictating individual’s life or its freedom, it is not barrier for the individual’s progress. I ndustrialization, urbanization, westernization etc., changed the role of caste system.

16. Merits of caste system- M erits of caste system. D efine economic pursuits. R acial purity. I nfluence intellectual make-up. I ntegration of the country. P rovides for various functions. (division of labour ). C ultural diffusion DemerIts of caste system-  D enies mobility of labour .  S olidarity retarded.  U ntouchability.  W rong man in occupation. O bstacle to national unity. O bstacle to social progress.  U ndemocratic.  P romotes casteism.

17. CLASS SYSTEM

18. SOCIAL CLASS SYSTEM & STATUS S tatus – basic criterion of social class. E ach particular social class has its own particular social behavior, its standards and occupations.  I t is a culturally defined group, that is ‘accorded a particular position or status within the population as a whole’.   T he relative position of the class in the society arises form the degree of prestige attached to the society.  S tatus is the basic criterion of social class or, in other words class is a status group. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL CLASS O gburn and N imkoff – “A social class in one or two or more broad groups of individuals who are ranked by the members of the community in socially superior and inferior positions”. M ax W ebber – “Class or aggregates of individuals, who have the same opportunity of acquiring good, the same exhibited standard of living”.

19. SOCIAL MOBILITY – MEANING & TYPES:- C hange the social status from one place to another place its called as social mobility. For example: A person becomes a minister from an ordinary shopkeeper, his status is also enhanced.  O n the other hand if the minister losses his job and comes to his old shop, the status enjoyed by him as a minister is lost. T hus its seen that people in society continue to move up and down the status or the scale. This status or class movement is called SOCIAL MOBILITY. TYPES OF SOCIAL MOBILITY S ocial mobility is to be distinguished form migration which is movement in geographical area. V ertical and horizontal mobility. O pen and closed modes of mobility. I nter-generational mobility.  

20. V ertical and horizontal mobility  V ertical mobility - movement in any or all of the three areas of living; class, occupation and power involving status changes.  H orizontal mobility - changes of residence or job without status change, such as teacher’s leaving one school to work in another school. O pen and closed modes of mobility  O pen system mobility - I ts refers to the free movement in status changes. In such a system, status can be achieved, mobility is motivated and encouraged.  C losed model of mobility - I ts refers status is based on birth or caste. W hen a society ascribes to its members, deferent degrees of status on the basis of sex, religion and caste.  

21. I nter-generational mobility M obility between generations. M ovement between a father’s generation and a son’s generation.  T he son of a farmer father is now a civil servant or a business executive.  T he present day industrial society is marked by inter-generational mobility.  

22. RACE R ace is one of those terms which are used with a variety of meanings. T he term sometimes used as synonymous with nationality; thus F rench, C hinese and G erman are spoken of as races.  S ometimes it has been frequently confused with language, as well as with religion.   S ometimes used to denote the classification of human beings on the basis of the skin’s color such as white race or black race.  

23. R ace as a biological concept  T hey are biologically inherited along with such physical characteristics as eye, skin and hair color.   A group of people individual who posses common hereditary traits which separate them from other groups.  S ome writers are of the opinion that the race is based hereditary because races have been largely intermixed.  S o the term should be used in its genetic sense. DEFINITION OF RACE G reen – “a race is a large, biological human groping, with a number of distinctive inherited characteristics which vary within a certain range. B iesanz – “a race is a large group of people distinguished by inherited physical difference”.  P enniman – “race is a genetic class in which there are many indefinite and mutually related genetic characteristics”.

24. C riteria of racial classification  N egroes: with their black skin, projecting jaws, broad nose and curly hair include the melanesians , who have a lighter skin and slightly different nose from the negro group. M ongoloid: they may be called as yellow race has lighter skin, prominent cheek bones, olive shaped eyes and straights black hair. C aucasians: overlap with other races. INFLUENCE OF CLASS, CASTE AND RACE ON HEALTH AND HEALTH PRACTICES CASTE  F ood habits. I nferiority complex. C ultural practices. Superstitions beliefs. C onsanguineous marriage. R eligious sentiment

25. CLASS  E ducation. O ccupation. N utrition.   R esidence. W ay of living economic RACE  S kin problem G enetics P hysical conditions G eographical conditions