Social Stratification

The Massive Open Online Course on “Social Stratification” intends to bring innovation in curriculum design, teaching- learning, and rational assessment of the learners through developing their understanding of studying the relationship between society and different forms of social inequalities, forms and bases of stratification and various theoretical paradigms on social stratification and the operational dynamics of social stratification in India as well as the world besides understanding the dynamics associated with social mobility.The learners are expected to acquire conceptual constructs related to society, social inequality, social differentiation, social hierarchy (stratification), forms and bases of stratification including caste, class, race, ethnicity and gender; theoretical paradigms including the functional theories of stratification, the conflict tradition and stratification and the Weberian model on stratification; the and realize the importance of interventions that enhance the social mobility of various sections of the society.Moreover, the learners would also be able to take advantage of this course in qualifying for various relevant competitive examinations at national and state levels. The course will not only enhance their conceptual understanding but also practical applications of sociological concepts like social stratification.Interestingly, the course is designed in such a way that it would provide a unique interdisciplinary approach to teaching-learning and research that links researchers in social sciences to their social settings, to various disciplines like sciences and law; according to the mandate of implementation of the recently introduced-National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.The major learning objectives of this course will be to:• Obtain in-depth understanding of various concepts related to Social Stratification and Social Inequality.• Build a resource pool of knowledge pertaining to the theoretical foundations of social stratification.• To gain understanding of the multiple manifestations of social stratification viz. racial, ethnic and linguistic stratification, gendered stratification, caste and class dimensions of stratification, feminism and stratification and the formation of social identities.• Gain an insight into the process and dimensions of social mobility and the socio-cultural bases of reproducing social mobility.• Identify various strategies to address various forms of disparities• Realise the importance of education as a strategic intervention in producing social mobility and guiding the pace and direction of social change.Upon completion of this course, the learners will be able to:• Comprehend different forms of social inequalities, the forms and bases of social stratification, besides understanding the dynamics associated with social mobility.• Recognize various aspects and manifestations of social stratification viz. ethnic, racial, gendered and socio-cultural stratification.• Understand fundamental differences between open (class based) and closed (caste based) models of social arrangements.• Understand the role of culture and social structure in producing social inequalities.• Obtain in-depth understanding of various concepts related to Social Stratification and Social Inequality.• Build a resource pool of knowledge pertaining to the theoretical foundations of social stratification.• To gain understanding of the multiple manifestations of social stratification viz. racial, ethnic and linguistic stratification, gendered stratification, caste and class dimensions of stratification, feminism and stratification and the formation of social identities.• Gain an insight into the process and dimensions of social mobility and the socio-cultural bases of reproducing social mobility.• Identify various strategies to address various forms of disparities• Realise the importance of education as a strategic intervention in producing social mobility and guiding the pace and direction of social change.