Social Stratification

 Social stratification refers to the phenomenon that individuals in society are divided into groups based on socioeconomic factors like race, gender, education level, income, etc., and such stratification may determine an individual’s relative social position within society.

This phenomenon is closely related to sociology, some scholars believed that such stratification would ensure stability in the society, where individuals would mostly remain in their own social class would ensure social order.

While the term seems neutral in itself, social stratification may reflect inequalities in society, as the class or group that one belongs to may determine how much respect, opportunity, or resources one may garner; to the extreme, it may also cause differential access in mortgage credit. Hence, the flip-side of the coin, means that social mobility and access to resources may be sacrificed to the supposed maintenance of social order.

Arguably, education may be one of the ways where an individual would shift to a ‘higher’ social class - at least in the old days. However, with easier access to education and the fact that many individuals have multiple degrees and certificates under the belt, it seems society has become increasingly stratified and immobile - no matter how hard one works, it seems they are just pacing the same steps.

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