Class

Question 1

Social stratification

Answer 1

The phenomenon and/or idea that society consists of strata (layers), each of which consisting of people of similar status (based on caste, class, ethnicity,…)

Question 2

Caste

Answer 2

Eriksen: “Symbolic system associated with hinduism (cultural) and a set of rules and practices regulating social organisation, interaction and power in societies in the indian subcontinent (society)”

Question 3

Marx’ definition of class

Answer 3

Group of people who relate differently to the means of production (land, raw materials, machines). One dimensional (economic) view on stratification.

Question 4

Weber’s definition of class

Answer 4

Klasse (economic position), stand (status) and partei (social relations) together constitute your class position

Question 5

Theory of Capital

Answer 5

Developed by the man, myth, legend Pierre Bourdieu, inspired by the relationship between Klasse and Stand. The three main capitals he discusses are cultural capital, social capital and economic capital These can be converted from one form to another and/or strengthen each other

Question 6

Cultural capital

Answer 6

Cultural knowledge that exists/resides within specific communities, such as knowing how to speak, dress, walk in an accepted way. This can exists in three “states”: Embodied state (habitus and bodily hexis), objectified state (material possessions can tell us how much capital one has), institutionalized state (status of academic degrees, titles, awards, official positions)

Question 7

Economic capital

Answer 7

Shockingly refers to the amount of money you have. The more economic capital you have, the more accessible are other resources, opportunities, power and status, thus reinforcing social hierarchies.

Question 8

Social capital

Answer 8

Speaks to the social knowledge an individual has. The greater the network, the more people you know, the more opportunities you will have.

Question 9

Symbolic capital

Answer 9

Bourdieu: “the form that the various species of capital assume when they are perceived
and recognized as legitimate”. Classic example, being a great drug dealer gives you nothing in the legal economy

Question 10

Habitus

Answer 10

Eriksen: “‘culturally conditioned agency’. “enduring, learned, embodied
dispositions for action”(ibid.) > “enduring [yet not immutable], [often informally]
learned, embodied dispositions for action [including mental action]”

Question 11

Meritocracy

Answer 11

Concept by Michael Young which envisions how individuals should have the same opportunities to become successful. The issue is that it overlooks structural violence and results in mostly a “blame-the-victim” mentality