Gender Stratification. Race and Etrhnicity

According to John J. Macionis in Introduction to Sociology (17th edition), gender stratification, race, and ethnicity are important dimensions of social inequality that influence individuals' opportunities and life experiences. Gender stratification refers to the unequal distribution of power, wealth, and prestige between men and women, largely shaped by socially constructed gender roles and patriarchal structures. Race and ethnicity are also socially constructed categories, with race based on perceived physical characteristics and ethnicity on shared cultural heritage, language, religion, and traditions. These differences often give rise to prejudice, discrimination, and racism, which may be embedded in social institutions such as education, employment, and politics. Sociological perspectives—including functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, and feminist theory—offer different explanations for the origins and persistence of these inequalities. Although social change and civil rights movements have contributed to greater equality and multiculturalism, significant disparities based on gender, race, and ethnicity continue to exist in contemporary societies.