Social stratification or class structure, is an often times a heavily debated issue that has existed since immemorial. Nowhere is this argument more heavily debated than in Africa and Asia, more specifically the countries of India, Tibet and South Africa. India’s caste system as well as South Africa’s apartheid are two perfect examples of social stratification that, although outlawed by their constitutions, still persist even today in some form or another. The so called “Sinicization of Tibet” is another great example of social stratification as the indigenous ethnic people (Tibetans) are facing cultural assimilation to a minority ethnic group (Han Chinese).
The concept of social stratification is, in theory, a means to categorize the many …show more content…
Conceptualized in 1948 by the National Party, the white nationalist minority sought to provide themselves a means to ensure that their supremacy over the majority black population was both maintained and protected. The personal lives of blacks were very stringent as the divisions that Apartheid created were, much like the caste system, very invasive and overreaching. As McWilliams and Piotrowski pointed out, the laws prevented mixed dating or marriage, forbade cohabitation of persons of different colors, dictated where people were permitted to live. The educational and employment opportunities were also stringent towards blacks as the “separate but equal” mentality did not hold true. Race was such an obsession at the time that one could find themselves colored one day and white another, “In one typically twelve-month period, 150 coloreds were reclassified as white; ten whites became colored”. The level of obsession was so high that the South African government declared that the Chinese were a white subgroup and the Japanese as “honorary …show more content…
The class structure compels them to suffer a bevy of indignities such as using wells, visiting temples or even entering parts of the village owned by members of the upper castes. Laws are often times harsher for the Dalits than for members of the upper castes. Largely, a Dalit would face much more painful punishments for crimes comparable to the same crime from someone of a different caste. Educational opportunities for Dalit children range from abysmal to nonexistence. Even worse, Dalit children are subjected to both harassment and apathy form their instructors as well potential assaults and kidnappings due to extreme travel distances Dalit children must walk to get to school. Political rights of Dalit are also in disarray. Despite living in the world’s largest democracy, Dalits face brutal beatings, threats and murder if they are poised to vote not in the interest of the upper
The concept of social stratification is, in theory, a means to categorize the many …show more content…
Conceptualized in 1948 by the National Party, the white nationalist minority sought to provide themselves a means to ensure that their supremacy over the majority black population was both maintained and protected. The personal lives of blacks were very stringent as the divisions that Apartheid created were, much like the caste system, very invasive and overreaching. As McWilliams and Piotrowski pointed out, the laws prevented mixed dating or marriage, forbade cohabitation of persons of different colors, dictated where people were permitted to live. The educational and employment opportunities were also stringent towards blacks as the “separate but equal” mentality did not hold true. Race was such an obsession at the time that one could find themselves colored one day and white another, “In one typically twelve-month period, 150 coloreds were reclassified as white; ten whites became colored”. The level of obsession was so high that the South African government declared that the Chinese were a white subgroup and the Japanese as “honorary …show more content…
The class structure compels them to suffer a bevy of indignities such as using wells, visiting temples or even entering parts of the village owned by members of the upper castes. Laws are often times harsher for the Dalits than for members of the upper castes. Largely, a Dalit would face much more painful punishments for crimes comparable to the same crime from someone of a different caste. Educational opportunities for Dalit children range from abysmal to nonexistence. Even worse, Dalit children are subjected to both harassment and apathy form their instructors as well potential assaults and kidnappings due to extreme travel distances Dalit children must walk to get to school. Political rights of Dalit are also in disarray. Despite living in the world’s largest democracy, Dalits face brutal beatings, threats and murder if they are poised to vote not in the interest of the upper