Lecture notes: Society and Social justice - Social inequality
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Course
Society and Social Justice (ED1BSJ)
Institution
University Of Reading (UoR)
Why social inequality persists. What forms of social inequality were there between . What is the real cause of inequality and injustice. Why has social and economic inequalities in UK risen since 1979. Why was inequality worlds biggest issue in January 2014. Why is exclusion considered necessary. W...
Why social inequality still persists. Danny Dorling
o Great inequality = inevitable & sometimes desirable.
o Highs in income & wealth inequalities in the UK coincide with inequalities in how
people vote depending on where they live.
|_> 2015 general election = most segregated outcome of all time. Reflects 5 yrs of
rapidly growing social divides.
o 2010-2015 = increase in poverty, hunger & destitution in UK.
|_> result = food banks became vital & housing crisis deepened.
o Social inequality occurs when resources unevenly distributed.
o Richest 1% of people in the world will own more then the other 99% put together.
o 2015 edition of injustice = five social evils: elitism, exclusion, prejudice, greed &
despair.
Real cause of inequality & injustice:
o It’s accepted that inequalities between poor & rich nations result in injustice, also
injustice within rich nations.
|_> some claim differences are ‘natural’ due to genetic differences.
|_> many others claim differences are the inevitable effect of market forces &
globalisation.
o Since 1979 = social & economic inequalities in UK have risen year on year. BUT
between 1918 – 1979 inequalities had fallen.
|_> injustice looks at what drives this increase in inequalities.
o Live in hierarchical society. People are either ‘above’ or ‘below’ others.
o Hierarchy created by elitism, exclusion, prejudice & greed.
|_> end result increases despair, not only among the poor.
o Direction is crucial.
|_> many changes can be better for everyone BUT other changes can be disastrous
for society as a whole.
o JAN 2014 = ‘masters of the universe’, growing inequality had become most
important world issue, along with climate change.
Dispelling myths that cause injustice:
MYTH 1: ELITISM IS EFFICIENT
o Despite ever-improving compulsory education many young people are seen as failing
as they’re not reaching official targets.
o Even those in politics, business or are celebrities (who believe they’re gifted & that
they should be rewarded appropriately) are also victims of elitism.
o Under elitism, ed is less about learning & more about dividing people.
|_> Conferring high status upon a minority.
o Poor people most damaged by elitism.
|_> told they’re poor because they lack ability to be anything else.
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