Macro-Micro Linkages and the Role of Mechanisms in Social Stratification Research

This article proposes a new conceptual framework based on social mechanisms and the multileveled nature of the stratification process. The authors argue that the identification of social mechanisms should be a core aspect of sociological explanation. They apply their conceptual framework to stratification research, where the authors observe that the micro-to-macro linkage is one of the least explored, but also one of the most promising, areas of future research.