Question One: Consequences of Gender Stratification
All the societies use the aspects of gender as a means of stratification. Nevertheless, there are consequences of this gender stratification. The consequences of gender stratification could be both positive and negative. Nevertheless, one of the major consequences of the gender stratification in the societies is the social and economic inequality between the men and the women. This inequality comes about because of the concept that in a society with gender stratification, the men have the greater access to the power, the prestige, and the wealth in that society. Among the positive consequences of gender stratification are the promotion of stability, predictability, and continuity. On the other hand, the negative consequences could include the creation of stress, anxiety, and boredom. These consequences affect the individuals in the society and the society itself as whole.
Question Two: Differences between Race and Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity are aspects that describe various societal and individual aspects. First, race refers to the physical characteristics of an individual, such as the skin, the eye color, the hair, and the bone structure. On the other hand, ethnicity refers to the cultural aspects of an individual or a group of individuals, including the regional culture, the ancestry, the language, and the nationality. For instance, race could be black skin or white from various regions of the world whereas the ethnicity could be Spanish or German ancestries regardless of the race of the individuals. Other differences of the race and the ethnicity are that ethnicity encompasses the cultural behaviors, often learned and celebrated in various regions whereas race is the indication of an individual’s heritage with which they were born.
Question 3: Social Class According to Kahl and Gilbert
The first class in the American society is old money. it comprises a class of people who have money and wealth that they inherited from their parents and forefathers. In most cases, such families have built their wealth over the years and they generations live to own the property already created for them. The next class is new money. It comprises people immediately outside the upper and their wealth is generated through human talent and abilities such as entertainment, sports, and music. The lower middle class follows immediately after the new money and it follows the upper middle class. It has more prestige. After this class, there is a working class that is made up of unskilled blue or white collar. It has lower levels of education that the preceding classes. The working poor has temporary jobs and is made up of school dropouts. The final class is the underclass.
Question 4: sociological Perspectives on Marriage and Family
The conflict perspective believes that the family is a vehicle for the maintenance of patriarchy. The conflict theorists believe that the family is a tool used by men to assert their dominance and maintain the gender imbalance that already exists.
The functionalist perspective views the family as a unit meant to fulfill important functions and keep maintain the normal functioning of the society. According to this perspective, the most important functions of the family are reproduction, protection, social care, and emotional support among others. Lastly, there is a symbolic interactionist perspective. It perceives the family as a reproduction site in which the meaning of various social concepts are created and negotiated by the members of that family.