What concept suggests that individuals have different opportunities due to social inequality?

The concept of differential opportunity explains that individuals have varying degrees of access to resources, education, and other opportunities based on their social and economic status. This framework posits that not everyone starts from the same point in society, and societal structures often create barriers for certain groups while providing advantages to others.

For instance, individuals from underprivileged backgrounds may be limited in their ability to pursue higher education or gain employment in certain fields, reinforcing cycles of poverty and limiting social mobility. This highlights how the distribution of opportunity is influenced by social inequality, resulting in different pathways and outcomes for individuals.

In contrast, social stratification refers more broadly to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals in society based on wealth, power, and status, which is certainly relevant but does not specifically focus on the varying opportunities available to individuals. Class conflict emphasizes the tensions and struggles between different social classes, particularly in relation to the economic disparities that arise from stratification, while equal opportunity suggests a system where all individuals have the same chances, which does not account for the existing inequalities that impact individual opportunities.