Explanation
Social inequality refers to the structured and systemic disparities between individuals and groups in terms of wealth, income, education, healthcare, power, and social status. These disparities are often rooted in social categories such as class, race, gender, ethnicity, and age. Unlike mere individual differences, social inequalities are maintained and reproduced by social institutions and cultural norms.
Sociologists analyze how inequalities emerge, how they are justified (e.g., through ideologies of meritocracy), and how they affect social mobility, exclusion, and life chances. Modern approaches often draw on the work of Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Pierre Bourdieu, who highlighted the roles of capital, status, and habitus in sustaining inequality.
Theoretical Reference
Social inequality is a core concept in conflict theory, structural functionalism, and critical sociology. It is central to the works of Karl Marx, Pierre Bourdieu, and contemporary scholars of intersectionality.