Is social stratification beneficial or harmful to society and social relations?

Exam #1 consists of two essays and focuses on the class assignments, discussions, and lectures from August 30th to September 22nd, 2021.

Be sure to read, write, and sign the pledge of academic integrity, which is the first item in the exam below. This pledge is not worth any points, but it must be completed. If the pledge is not written and signed, your essays will not be graded and you will receive a “0” for the exam.

Address both of the essay prompts with the following guidelines in mind. Each essay should:
Be a minimum of 500 words in length.
Address the essay prompt thoroughly.
Be organized into a logical series of paragraphs.
Include an opening paragraph that introduces the topic and main idea(s) of the essay, two or more body paragraphs that develop the main idea(s), and a conclusion.
Develop the main idea(s) in a discussion that draws support from the class discussions, assigned readings, and/or videos; to earn a grade of B+ or higher, you must draw substantively on the assigned readings as well as the class lectures, videos, and discussions.
Be carefully reviewed and edited for typos, grammatical errors, and coherence; essay organization and writing mechanics constitute 20% of the grade).

Essay #1

This essay involves a three-part prompt. Be sure to address each part of the prompt.
How have inequality and social stratification varied over human history and across human societies?
What is the significance of these patterns for understanding inequality and social stratification in human societies?
Given these patterns, do you think inequality is likely to increase or diminish in the post-industrial future? Explain your response.

Essay #2

Is social stratification beneficial or harmful to society and social relations? Begin your response to this question by defining “social stratification.” Next, consider this question from the two main perspectives on inequality in contemporary sociology.

Following this, examine the ideas of Max Weber on inequality. As part of this discussion, summarize Weber’s key ideas and consider where his ideas fit within the two main perspectives on inequality in contemporary sociology.

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