Question

One theory of global stratification by the _____ approach is the modernization theory, which explains unequal economic differences based on structural and cultural differences between countries?

1) structural/functionalist
2) conflict/critical
3) interactionist
4) ethnomethodology

Answer 1

The structural/functionalist approach to global stratification is encapsulated in modernization theory, which attributes economic discrepancies to stages of evolution marked by industrialization and technological advances.

Step-by-step explanation:

The theory of global stratification by the structural/functionalist approach is the modernization theory, which explains unequal economic differences based on structural and cultural differences between countries. Modernization theory is a sociological perspective that suggests countries go through evolutionary stages. It believes that industrialization and improved technology are critical for economic advancement and development, suggesting that less developed nations can move towards modernization and an increased standard of living by following the paths taken by more developed nations.

Dependency theory, however, criticizes modernization theory for presenting a Eurocentric viewpoint and contributing to a cycle of dependence where core nations exploit resources and labor in peripheral and semi-peripheral countries, thereby perpetuating global inequality.