This book presents an introduction to the concept of social inequality. It provides a theoretical and historical background to ways of approaching this topic and discusses classic and modern theories of stratification.
After identifying the key concepts of this topic, the book lays out evidence on the nature and extent of contemporary social and economic inequality. It then considers categorical forms of inequality, notably, race, class, and gender. Finally, the book examines sources of social inequality and discusses political consequences of stratification and different policy responses.
Table of Contents:
List of Figures and Tables; Introduction: How We Think about Inequality; 1. Theories of Social Inequality; 2. Key Concepts; 3. The Twenty-First Century Setting; 4. Categorical Inequalities: Arguments and Evidence; 5. What Makes People Unequal?; 6. Politics, Policy, and Stratification; References; Index
About the Author :
Carl L. Bankston III is Professor of Sociology at Tulane University in New Orleans, Lousiana.
Review :
"Bankston offers a novel approach to understanding stratification by taking the reader through a journey in the evolution of social thought. Each chapter demonstrates how rules of society are altered as we move from hunter-gatherer societies all the way to a post-industrial society." — John C. Kilburn, Jr., Texas A&M international University, USA.
"Carl Bankston’s Key Concepts and Contemporary Approaches to Structural Inequality gives a succinct overview of the sociology of stratification and of related moral debates. I would recommend the book to anyone wanting to learn more about the subject matter, and it would make an excellent addition to any stratification course." —Bradley Campbell, Professor of Sociology, California State University, Los Angeles, USA.
From the perspective of policy choices, the book does a respectable job with ideas of redistribution, both for and against. It is easy to recommend for a classroom audience and useful for discussions on inequality, especially where those discussions cross into policy responses, and even a discussion of government’s role, if it has a role at all, in addressing such issues. — Public Organization Review
