Equality for All

Assignment 2: Equality for All?

Social stratification is the ranking of individuals in a hierarchy of unequal wealth, occupational prestige, and power. It is a feature of society and not a reflection of individual uniqueness or differences. Stratification is a universal feature found in all societies: agrarian, industrial, and postindustrial. Furthermore, socialization and cultures reproduce stratification and transmit it from one generation to the next.

Social institutions such as education, the economy, politics, and government maintain the stratified status quo. The goal of these institutions is to provide the needs of society and not a radical transformation of structured inequality. Changes in social stratification are usually slow and incremental rather than fast and revolutionary.

This discussion will give you an insight into the difficulties all societies face with regards to social stratification. Based on your readings and understanding of the above issues, discuss the answer to the following question with your classmates:

• Is it possible to establish a society in which there is no stratification based on class? Explain your response with reasons.

2

Strengthening Academic Skills

When it comes to academic skills, you’re not starting from scratch. Your previous undergraduate experience has helped you build a foundation of academic skills to draw from as you begin working on assignments and discussions for master’s level courses. In this unit, you’ve also had an opportunity to explore resources related to important academic skill areas, such as writing, library research, critical thinking, and reading. We hope this process has allowed you to reflect on your strengths, gain awareness of opportunities for growth, and have a better sense of the support, tools, and resources provides to help facilitate your continued development.

For this discussion, create and post a response that addresses each of the questions below. Your response should be two to three paragraphs in length.

Identifying skills

• What academic skills do you feel are already strengths for you?
• As you take the next step in your education and commit to a deeper study of subject material, what academic skills do you anticipate spending additional time developing?

Growth mindset

• How might your mindset play a role in your learning and growth?