Introduction to Social Class
Group of individuals who share a similar socio-economic position based on income, wealth, education, and occupation.
Social Class
Have probably only completed high school or a trade school; typically work as office support (secretaries and administrative assistants), retail sales workers, factory workers, and low-paid craftspeople.
Working Class
Movement from a lower social class position to a higher one.
Upward Mobility
An unequal distribution of wealth, income, and opportunities between different social classes. It can lead to social exclusion and unrest.
Social Class Disparity
Poverty measure that takes into account the relative economic status of people in a society by looking at how income is distributed.
Relative Poverty
A system that puts categories of people into a hierarchy.
Stratification
Well-educated individuals who typically have jobs as business managers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, and some small business owners
Upper-middle Class
Movement from an ascribed social class position to a new achieved social class position.
Social Mobility
Drastic and growing difference in wealth accumulation between Black and White individuals.
Racial Wealth Gap
Poverty measure that considers the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, and clothing; those without these necessities are considered poor.
Absolute Poverty
Amount of money an individual earns from employment or investments.
Income
A subgroup of the upper-middle class that relies on their salaries, rather than inherited wealth, for their class position.
Working Rich
Movement from a higher social class position to a lower one.
Downward Mobility
Advantages that are built up over generations and contribute to social class inequality.
Cumulative Advantages
Establishes minimum income level required to obtain the necessities of life.
Poverty Threshold
Total amount of money that you have, or would have if you sold off all of your assets.
Wealth
Typically employed in insecure and low-wage jobs such as janitorial and cleaning staff, manual labor, landscaping, restaurant support (including fast food, wait staff, line cooks), and other service industries.
Working Poor
It can lead to greater opportunities, better jobs, and wider professional networks. It can also benefit the economy and social cohesion.
Higher Social Mobility
Belief that personal responsibility and individual effort are the sole determinants of success.
Meritocracy
Census tracts where at least 40% of the population is poor.
High-poverty neighborhoods
Commonly known as the 1%; class that makes money from things they own such as businesses, real estate, stocks, and bonds.
Capitalists
Work part-time, unemployed, or have inconsistent and unreliable work opportunities; often rely on public assistance to meet basic needs for food, shelter, and clothing.
Underclass
Affects Social Mobility(2 examples):
Income, Occupation, Education, Social Class, Ethnicity, Race, Gender, Age
Statistical measure used to compare inequality across countries.
GINI Index
People staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens.
Sheltered Homeless