Understanding Culture,
Society and Politics
Quarter 2 – Module 10:
Social Inequality
What is It
Social Inequality
Social inequality occurs when resources in a given society are distributed
unevenly, typically through norms of allocation, that engender specific patterns
along lines of socially defined categories of persons.
Forms of Social Inequality
1. Gender Inequality
Sex- and gender-based prejudice and discrimination, commonly called
sexism, are major contributing factors to social inequality. The emphasis on gender
inequality is born out of the deepening division in the roles assigned to men and
women, particularly in the economic, political and educational spheres. Women are
underrepresented in political activities and decision making processes.
A. The struggle for Equal Rights
The modern concept of women as people with full legal rights is a relatively
new idea for many years. Like in the United States, in the 1940's, eleven states did
not permit woman to maintain her own earnings without her husband's approval.
Sixteen states ruled that a married woman could not make legal contracts. In seven
states women were banned from serving on juries. And many states controlled the
kinds of jobs that women could hold.
B. The Women's Rights Movement
In 1848 a group of women led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, held a convention
in Sen eca Falls, New York, to have a discussion about women's rights and this
marked the start of the women's suffrage (voting) movement. While it is true that
the fight is not easy the suffragists had to rally, demonstrate, and even chain
themselves to railings before they finally got the vote in 1920.
2. Racial or ethnic inequality
Racial or ethnic inequality is the result of hierarchical social distinctions
between racial and ethnic categories within a society and often established based
on characteristics such as skin color and other physical characteristics or an
individual's place of origin or culture. Unequal treatment and opportunities
between such categories is usually the result of some categories being considered
superior to others.
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A. Discrimination
Minorities are being deprived of equal treatment and are kept in a lower
status by the dominant members of the society, and the resistance of equality is
called discrimination.
B. Prejudice
This is defined as a negative attitude towards the members of a particular
group. It is a pre-conceived idea or judgement of others that allows us to brands/
levels them in various pessimistic ways.
C. Stereotyping
It refers to our prosperity to picture all members of a particular category as
having the same qualities.
D. Ethnocentrism
Belief that our own nation, race or group is the best is called ethnocentrism.
E. Scapegoating
The term scapegoat is taken from the ancient Hebrew custom of identifying
the sins of the people with a goat and driving the goat into the wilderness. This is a
situation when people encounter problems that they do not know how to solve.
Often, they feel frustrated.
F. Racism
It is the thinking that one’s own race is superior and has the right to control
or direct others.
3. Global inequality
Global inequality and international inequality refers to economic
differences between countries. The economies of the world have developed unevenly
historically, such that entire geographical regions were left mired in poverty and
disease while others began to reduce poverty and disease on a wholesale basis This
was represented by a type of country differentiation that existed after WWII
between First World Countries, Developed Countries, Industrialized Countries,
Developing Countries and Third World Countries, primarily as measured by Gross
Domestic Products (GDP).
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4. Economic Inequality
Economic inequality, usually described on the basis of the unequal
distribution of income or wealth, is a frequently studied type of social inequality.
Though the disciplines of economics and sociology generally use different
theoretical approaches to examine and explain economic inequality, both fields are
actively involved in researching this inequality. However, social and natural
resources other than purely economic resources are also unevenly distributed in
most societies and may contribute to social status. Norms of allocation can also
affect the distribution of rights and privileges social power, access to public goods
such as education or the judicial system, adequate housing, transportation, credit
and financial services such as banking and other social goods and services.
It is described on the basis of the unequal distribution of income or wealth,
is a frequently studied type of social inequality. Latest research, however, has
called this basic assumption into question Economic inequality does have a
positive correlation with economic growth, but inequality in general is not positively
correlated with economic growth. Under some conditions, in equality shows a
negative correlation with economic growth.
Ethnic Minorities
Ethnicity is a term that describes shared culture-the practices, values, and
beliefs of a group. This might include shared language, religion, and traditions,
among other commonalities.
Ethnic minority or minority group refers to any group of people who because
of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the
society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment, and who therefore
regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination.
5 Characteristics of Minority Group (Charles Wagley)
1. Unequal treatment and less power over their lives.
2. Distinguishing physical or cultural traits like skin color or language.
3. Involuntary membership in the group
4. Awareness of subordination
5. High rate of in group marriage
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How people become minorities
There are the basic ways in which minority definitions develop according to
sociologist, namely migration, colonialism, and annexation.
1. Migration
When people move, or migrate, from one society to another, they are
common called minorities in the new society. Migration could be voluntary (by
choice), or could be involuntary. For instance, the incident of blacks who were
forcibly brought the American continent as slaves is one example of involuntary
migration. But most of the people who have migrated to the US have gone there
through voluntary migration.
2. Colonialism
Some people become minorities in their own country, without ever leaving
their place of birth. This happens when people from another country decides to
settle in a new land and then take control of the society. We call this method of
establishing control as colonialism.
Examples within our own country are the Spanish and American colonizers.
When Magellan came to the Philippines, he already found tribes of people. After
333 years of Spanish colonization here in the Philippines came the Americans.
History is full of other examples of colonialism.
3. Annexation
Citizens may turn out to be a minority when their country is joined, or
annexed, to another nation. Annexation could either be voluntary or involuntary.
Annexation usually happens after a war ends.
Additional Minority Groups
A. Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders (LGBTs) Community
A sexual minority is a group whose sexual identity, orientation or practices
differ from the majority of the surrounding society. It can also refer to transgender,
genderqueer including third gender or intersex individuals
B. Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)
This is normally a condition either caused by genetics or disease, accident,
trauma, which may hamper a person’s mental, sensory or mobility functions to
carry out or perform a task in the same way as a person who does not have a
disability.
People with a disability comes in different sizes, shapes, sex, color, and
culture just as we all do. Another difference between a disabled and a normal
individual is the ability to do things normally like the majority of the society.
Disability is the result of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive,
mental, sensory, emotional development or some combination of these. A disability
may be present from birth or may happen during a person’s lifetime.
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Ways of Categorizing
Definition
Disability
1. Physical Disability Any impairment which limits the physical function
of limbs, fine bones or gross motor ability is a
physical impairment not necessarily a physical
disability.
The social model of disability defines physical
disability as manifested when impairment meets a
non-universal design or program.
Example, a person who cannot climb stairs may
have a physical impairment of the knees when
putting stress on them from an elevated position
such as with climbing or descending stairs.
2. Sensory Disability It is impairment of one of the senses.
The term is used primarily to refer to vision and
hearing impairment, but other senses can be
impaired.
a. Vision Impairment Vision impairment is vision loss of a person
resulting from disease, trauma or congenital or
degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by
conventional means such as refractive correction,
medication or surgery.
b. Hearing impairment Refers to the conditions in which individuals are
fully or partially incapable to recognize or perceive
at least some frequencies of sound which can
typically be heard by most people.
3. Intellectual This is a broad concept that ranges from mental
Disability retardation to cognitive deficits too mild or too
specific to qualify as mental retardation.
4. Mental Health and A mental disorder or mental illness is a
Emotional Disabilities psychological or behavioral pattern generally
associated with subjective distress or disability that
occurs in an individual and perceived by the
majority of society as being outside of normal
development or cultural expectations.
5. Developmental Any disability that results in problems with growth
Disability and development is called developmental disability.
Although the term is often used as a synonym or
euphemism for intellectual disability, the term also
encompasses many congenital medical conditions
that have no mental or intellectual component.
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Disability Laws
Republic Acts Description
1. Anti-Bullying Act "Bullying shall refer to any severe or repeated use
Republic Act Number 10627, by one or more students of a written, verbal or
dated 05 June 2013 electronic expression, or a physical act or
gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at
another student that has the effect of actually
causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of
physical or emotional harm or damage to his
property, creating a hostile environment at
school for the other student; infringing on the
rights of the other student at school; or
materially and substantially disrupting the
education process or the orderly operation of a
school."
2. Equal Opportunity "At least one percent (1%) of all positions in all
Employment government agencies, offices or corporations
Republic Act Number 10524, shall be reserved for persons with disability:
dated 23 July 2012. Provided, that private corporations with more
than one hundred (100) employees are
encouraged to reserve at least one percent (1%) of
all positions for per sons with disability."
Other Policies
1. DepEd Child Protection The document outlines the Philippine
Policy Dated 14 May 2012. Department of Education Policies and Guidelines
on protecting children in school from violence,
exploitation, discrimination, bullying, neglect,
abuse, cruelty and other conditions prejudicial to
their development.
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