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Sociology vocabulary · Class, Stratification and Inequality

Social stratification

Meaning in sociology, with examples

nounCore term

In sociology, social stratification means: The way a society ranks groups of people in layers, or strata, so that some have more wealth, power and prestige than others.

In Turkish: toplumsal tabakalaşma, sosyal tabakalaşma

How it is used

Used in textbooks and exam questions as the umbrella term for ranking systems such as class, caste, estate and slavery. The image comes from geology, where strata are layers of rock. Researchers study how stratification is created, justified and reproduced.

Example sentences

  1. The traditional caste system in India is a classic example of closed social stratification.

  2. Davis and Moore argued that social stratification motivates people to fill important jobs.

Common collocations

  • system of stratification
  • gender stratification
  • open and closed stratification
  • global stratification
  • social classA large group of people who share a similar economic position, such as income, wealth, occupation and education, and often similar life chances.
  • inequalityUnequal access to resources, opportunities, rights and rewards, such as income, education, health or power, between individuals or groups.
  • social mobilityMovement of individuals or groups between positions in a social hierarchy, for example when someone from a working-class family gets a professional job.
  • statusA social position that a person occupies, such as student, mother or doctor, which comes with expected behaviour and a certain level of respect.

More terms: Class, Stratification and Inequality

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