WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology sample

Chapter 4 Component 2 Understanding Social Structures 120 KEY TERMS  Age  Differentiation  Disability  Discrimination  Ethnicity  Gender  Inequality  Labelling  Moral panic  Norms  Power  Prejudice  Rules  Scapegoating  Social class  Stereotype  Stratification Social differentiation and stratification Inequality is about power and wealth. Introduction to Social differentiation and stratification KEY PEOPLE  Emile Durkheim  Karl Marx  Ann Oakley  Talcott Parsons  Sylvia Walby  Max Weber WHAT AM I GOING TO LEARN? This chapter introduces some of the most important issues facing the UK in the 21st century. Understanding the differences between individuals and groups is an important part of sociology. UK society is constantly changing. Functionalist and New Right sociologists believe that society is changing too quickly, whereas feminists and others would see the changes as positive for women and certain other groups. Issues of inequality generate significant debate in our society. Is social inequality becoming greater? Are the very rich becoming richer while the poor become even poorer? Functionalists and the New Right believe that we need inequality to motivate people and to make our society work well. Their idea is that this motivation will eventually make everyone better off. Marxists would see growing inequality as the rich taking advantage of the workers. This chapter will examine these and other debates about power, wealth and life-chances. KEY QUESTIONS  Who has power in society?  Are men and women equal?  Why do we have social inequality?  Is Britain a meritocracy?  How have social norms in the UK changed?  Why do some groups have worse life-chances than others?  How does the media show youth, old age, women, ethnic minorities, LGBT people and people with disabilities?  What is poverty?  Why is there poverty in the UK?