Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 446 words written
Opening · no separate opening
None written.
Body · points and prose
(a) Gender as a dimension of social stratification
Social stratification is in which different Social groups are placed hierarchially one above the other based on some commonalities like class, status, gender.
Theoretical Stands
Foxx gave the biological concept of Gender as the reason for Social Stratification, due to inherent natural differences, like men has more strength and women are more emotional. Eg: So, men hunt and women do household work.
PARSONS → He gave instrumental role to the men and expressive role to the women.
FEMINIST VIEW:- Sex is a biological concept, but Gender is a social construct due to cultural practices and enforced patriarchy as given by Ann oakley.
MARXIST VIEW:- The rise of private property and the industrial revolution, men faced threat from women as they saw women will displace them in factory jobs, so they confined them to the household work, But world wars led to reappearance of women in work.
Impact on women
Gender as social stratification leads to Social Exclusion, cause multiple deprivations and incident of more poverty and give rise to sexual division of labour.
Global Gender Gap Report by world economic forum suggest it may take 135 years to close the present gender gap and the recent pandemic aggrevated the difference.
Gender as Stratification made women subordinated in all the spheres, the evils like Sati, child marriages, Sexualisation of work, Gender stereotypes, violence are the manifestations of it.
(a) "No society can be absolutely open or absolutely closed". Comment.
Social Mobility is in which one group able to change their order in hierarchy of Social Stratification.
However, the distinction between this is ideal view, But in practices it differs:-
Open Society is not absolutely open
It is believed that American class Society which is open for Social mobility and anyone can move from log cabin to white House. But pew Research in 2012 shows that only 4% from bottom quintal (20%) can move to top quintal and there is lot of stickiness at the ends.
Gunnar Myrdal advocates that many migrants move to American Society. But finds that they will end up working in menial jobs. du Bois and Joe feagin Study shows there is 'Everyday Racism' which is acting as hindrance for Black people.
Closed Society not absolutely closed
Close · a summary
Indian caste system is considered close Society, But field studies of MN Srinivas showed there is Sanskritization taking place in the society with change in cultural practices. Ghurye showed that there are Hinduized Tribes, Majumdar advocated there is Dalitization happening. All these show that Caste is not absolutely closed and there are avenues for social mobility.
Thus, no society is absolutely closed or open.