Exam 8: Social Stratification: United States and Global

Stephen is a professor at a university. He tells his students that rich countries continue to stay rich because they control the economies of poor countries. He also states that they exploit the poor countries because workers in poor countries depend on external markets for jobs. He argues that rich countries set prices for agricultural products exported by poor countries regardless of market values. Which of the following theories is Professor Stephen describing to his students?

Which of the following statements best describes relative poverty?

Which of the following is true of the Davis-Moore thesis?

Which of the following statements is true of the jobs held by the working class in the United States?

List two characteristics of prestigious occupations. Support your answer with examples.

Tom drifts in and out of jobs. Owing to his lack of education and skills, it is very difficult for him to find a stable job with a steady income. Despite having some earnings, he depends on government programs to make ends meet. Which of the following terms can be used to describe Tom's social status?

Identify a true statement about individuals in the upper-middle class.

Which of the following is the most likely reason why the poverty level among older Americans is comparatively lower than that of any other age group?

In which of the following stratification systems are people bought and sold as commodities?

In a slavery system, people's positions are based on both birth and achievement.

Alicia believes that men shape the social stratification system and control a disproportionate share of wealth, prestige, and power. As a result, women are largely invisible. Which of the following perspectives is most likely to support Alicia's opinion?

As a child, Mira was taught to interact only with people from the same social standing as her. When she grew up, she was married into a family similar to hers in race and background. Which of the following systems of social stratification does this scenario illustrate?

Critically evaluate the feminist perspective on social stratification.

Discuss the symbolic interactionists' perspectives on social stratification.

What is the poverty line? How does the government determine the poverty line?

When social mobility occurs, most moves are long because social classes are very flexible.

Identify the social stratification system in which a person's ability to change social positions is influenced by his or her achievements.

Explain why inequality is universal according to modernization theory and dependency theory.

Which of the following statements is true of caste system?

Briefly explain world-system theory.