Question

Compare overlapping and cross cutting 0f social differences

Answer 1

OVERLAPPING DIFFERENCES: 1. When some social difference causes and overlaps with other difference. 2. overlapping differences is the mixture of one or more differences caused by one main difference.Situations of this kind produce social divisions, when one kind of social difference becomes more important than the other and people start feeling that they belong to different communities.(eg)racial or linguistic differences may lead to economic differences.They also become difficult to accommodate. 3. Example-a) racial difference between dark complexion and fairer complexion also refered as the afro-americans in the US becomes a social division because the darker complexion tend to stay unemployed due to their colour and tend to be poor & homeless, and often face injustice & discrimination.their complexion leaded them to poverty dark complexion b) In India Dalits(हरिजन्) (lower caste) have constantly been ignored by the upper castes and they tend to be poor & landless and often face injustice & discrimination. 4. 5. Overlapping differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions.

CROSS-CUTTING DIFFERENCES: 1.If social differences cross-cut one another, then one social difference is compromised with the other. 2. It means that a group that share a common interest on the issue are likely to be on different sides on a different issue. 3. Example -Northern Ireland & Netherlands both are predominantly Christians but divided between Catholics & Protestants. In Northern Ireland the Protestants have stayed richer than the Catholics here class & religion overlap each other, Catholics have been poor & have suffered discrimination where as in Netherlands , class & religion tend to cross-cut each other and both are equally likely to be rich or poor.Social discrimination in Netherlands is not overlapped by economic issues a both the christian communities have equal number of rich and poor. It means they have conflict in Northern Ireland and it is not so in Netherlands. 4. Cross-cut social differences are easier to accommodate.