Conflict Conflict is a major social process in which individuals or groups perceive their interests, goals, values, or resources as incompatible and actively oppose one another. Conflict exists at every level of society, from disagreements between individuals to struggles between social classes, political groups, and states. 1 Definition of Conflict Conflict is a social process…

Competition Competition is an important social process in which individuals or groups seek to obtain the same limited resources, rewards, opportunities, or social positions. It is a universal feature of social life and can produce both positive and negative consequences. 1 Definition of Competition Competition is a social process in which individuals or groups strive…

Cooperation Cooperation is the first major social process in Part 9 of our Sociology BoK. It refers to situations in which individuals or groups work together to achieve shared goals or satisfy common needs. Cooperation is fundamental to social life because no complex society can function without people coordinating their actions. 1 Definition of Cooperation…

Inequality Inequality is a central concept in sociology because societies distribute resources, opportunities, power, and prestige unevenly among individuals and groups. Unlike simple differences between people, social inequality refers to patterned and systematic differences in access to valued resources and life chances. 1 Definition of Inequality Social inequality is the structured and persistent unequal distribution…

Poverty Poverty is a major form of social inequality and an important subject in sociology because it affects not only income and material living conditions but also education, health, social participation, power, and life chances. Sociologists study poverty not simply as an individual condition but as a social and structural phenomenon shaped by economic systems,…

Social Mobility Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups from one social position, status, or socioeconomic level to another within a system of social stratification. It is an important indicator of how open or closed a society is. 1 Definition of Social Mobility Social mobility is the movement of individuals or groups…

Slavery Slavery is one of the oldest and most extreme forms of social stratification. It is a system in which people are deprived of fundamental freedom and subjected to the control of others, historically including treatment as property. Slavery has existed in many societies and historical periods, although its forms and legal status have varied…

Estate Estate is a historical system of social stratification in which society is divided into legally and politically recognized social groups with different rights, duties, privileges, and obligations. The estate system is particularly associated with feudal and medieval European societies, where social position was strongly connected with land ownership, political authority, and hereditary status. 1…

Caste Caste is a relatively closed system of social stratification in which social position is largely determined by birth. It traditionally involves hereditary membership, occupational specialization, social hierarchy, and restrictions on marriage and social interaction. Caste is particularly associated with the historical social structure of South Asia, although systems of hereditary social ranking and exclusion…

Social Class Social class is one of the most important forms of social stratification. It refers to the grouping of people according to their economic position, occupation, education, wealth, income, and access to resources and opportunities. Unlike caste or slavery, class position is generally more open to movement, although family background and structural inequalities strongly…

Social Stratification Social stratification is one of the central concepts in sociology. It explains how societies organize individuals and groups into hierarchical layers based on unequal access to valued resources, opportunities, power, and social prestige. Stratification is not simply the existence of differences between people. It refers to structured and persistent inequalities that are socially…

Health Health is an important social institution because societies must organize ways to prevent illness, care for the sick, promote well-being, and respond to health-related needs. Health is therefore not simply a biological or medical matter; it is deeply influenced by family, education, economy, politics, culture, environment, and social inequality. The World Health Organization emphasizes…