Culture and Identity Flashcards
Two ways in which subcultures may be related to the consumption of goods and services
1) Consumption as self expression - Goods ands services consumed are a way of expressing identity. Subcultures have their unique styles and preferences and so reflect it through consumption
2) Consumption creates community - Sense of shared identity and belonging can be reinforced through consumption.
Two ways in which social class may now be less important in shaping identity
Consumer culture has now replaced class culture - Media has made high culture much more accessible to the working class as it reaches a wider audience through media. It means the working class can identify with high culture, something that isn’t related or specific to working class identities. Postmodernists say it’s because of more fragmented, fluid and ever changing society.
Gender and ethnicity may be more important than social class in shaping identity. Gender pay gap for example makes it harder for women to take part in consumer culture. Consumer culture is significant in shaping identity.
Two ways in which agencies of socialisation have contributed to growing uncertainties about identities
Media - Representations of people in the media can be stereotypical, so it can lead to people feeling that they have a stigmatised identity. E.g. Apu from the Simpsons is voiced by a white person that uses an Indian accent in a stereotypical way. It can lead to people of Indian heritage becoming stigmatized.
Workplace - Identity is linked to work. Parker says people’s jobs and the way they experience their work can have important influences on their leisure. Physically demanding jobs have opposition in leisure i.e. relaxing. The decline of manual labour has forced men out jobs and into roles they are not best suited for. It can contribute to crisis of masculinity - men don’t know what roles to play in society.
Interactionist explanations of how an individuals sense of self is socially constructed
Interactionist: Erving Goffman and dramaturgy - we behave differently with people depending on where the social interaction is happening. We can control the way we present our identity.
Postmodernists: Identity is chosen individually. Everyone develops their own unique identity drawing on different parts of culture around them.
Marxists: People’s identities depends on their class position. Cultural norms and values are created by the upper class to protect their own interests.
Feminists: Society is patriarchal, influencing gender roles and stereotypes, ensuring that people hold traditional values of men and women in society and their roles too.
Feminist views on the extent to which the socialisation process reinforces patriarchy
FEMINIST VIEW:
- Primary socialisation by family - Anne Oakley, boys and girls are socialised differently into following gender scripts. Boys and girls are manipulated to adopt gender appropriate behaviour and differential activity exposure. Parents use verbal appellations to subtly shape roles and expectations. For example, girls are rewarded for passive behaviour whilst boys’ aggressive and dominant behaviour is passed of as ‘boys will be boys’. Also, ‘kind girl’, ‘strong boy’. It reinforces the belief that women are more passive.
- Role of schooling to reproduce patriarchy - Hidden curriculum is a patriarchal force. E.g. Teachers encourage boys to pursue maths, science or engineering and also give different career advice depending on the gender of the child.
- Media gender stereotypes - The male gaze - The sexualized way of portraying women. The male gaze can represent women through the media and advertising by representing women through the heterosexual desires of male viewers.
EVALUATIONS - FUNCTIONALIST AND MARXIST VIEW:
- Socialisation is positive - Functionalists say it helps turn newly born children into social beings.
- Alternative view of the role of schooling - Functionalists view schools as society in miniature. The bridge between family values and universal values of society. Marxists say schooling reproduces and legitimises ruling class ideology and social inequalities.
Two ways an individual’s identity may be affected by being labelled as disabled
- Disability becomes an identity of exclusion when society labels individuals as disabled. Society places economic, environmental and cultural barriers in the way of those with physical or mental disabilities. For example, underestimation, ridicule, lack of wheelchair access and inadequate or unaffordable healthcare.
- Barnes sees disability as a stigmatised identity that is a master status that which people instantly notice and not their other sexual, class or ethnic identities that they try to assert.
EVALUATIONS: Society is now becoming more accommodating towards disabled people through environmental and social policies such as more ramps, wheelchair inclusive areas, assistive technology and government policies such as education and awareness.
Also, the media can play a positive role as it is sometimes inclusive towards disabled people such as Ellie Simonds in the 2012 London Paralympics and Emmie award winner Peter Dinklage.
Two ways an individual’s sense of self may be affected by their ethnicity
- Expectations created by the media - Identity is affected by the expectations and reactions from the rest of society. Media creates expectations through stereotypes of ethnic identities. Stereotypes can lead to stigmatised identities and Goffman says it is hard to impression manage identity. It can lead to white mask, which is when the play down their ethnicity to overcome prejudice and racism and gain acceptance in the white society by adopting features of white culture.
- Primary socialisation by family - People from ethnic groups learn ethnicity related norms and values such as religious values and traditional dress. Norms and values shape the development of a child’s self - concept. E.g. South Asian families emphasise values of family obligation and loyalty. Children learn loyalty which becomes part of their individual sense of self.
Two reasons why consumption may be affected by social class
- Working class lack of wealth means they are limited in what they can buy. E.g. They can’t afford designer clothes or expensive holidays. Freedom of choice over consumption and identity only exists for the middle and upper classes.
- Conspicuous consumption (buying goods of a higher quality and price), of luxury goods by middle and upper classes enables them to demonstrate their status.
Is social class still an important source of identity - NO
According to postmodernists, social class has become an out-dated metanarrative.
Consumer culture has replaced class culture as a major influence on identity.
Identities have become individualistic and people are free to choose, change and pick ‘n’ mix the identities they want.
Is social class still an important source of identity - YES
- Social class remains a common social identity, as evidenced in surveys were people still identify as working or middle class.
Social class continues to have a major impact on life chances, in terms of income, educational success, health, employment and poverty. - Postmodernists fail to recognise the importance of income from work, which limits people’s ability to choose freely any identity and lifestyle they wish.
Social class may be less important than it once was, but that doesn’t mean that are able to escape its effects, such as its impact on income and cultural capital.
Outline and explain two ways in which globalisation has influenced the sense of self in contemporary society
- Emergence of hybrid identities - Hybrid identities form from globalisation creating a spread of cultural values and norms across the world, leading to global culture - culture that incorporates elements from other cultures. Therefore, people are exposed to different cultural practices, beliefs and values and incorporate them into their own sense of self. It has created hybrid identities. E.g. People in western societies may adopt eastern practices like mediation or yoga, and people in non-western societies may adopt western fashion or music.
- Rise of cosmopolitanism - The idea that individuals belong to a global community, not just a local or national one. It reflects a sense of belonging to a broader community - it’s often associated with the willingness to embrace diversity. Therefore, people may be more likely to view themselves as citizens of the world rather than just members of their own community or country - globalisation means people can feel more connected to each other regardless of where they are on the planet. It can lead to a shift in their sense of self from a local/national one to a global one.
Analyse two criticisms of the view that social class is the most important identity in the UK today
- Intersectionality of identities - An individuals identity is influenced by multiple factors, including race, gender, sexuality and disability. These identities interact to produce unique experiences of inequality and discrimination. For example, a working class women may face different forms of discrimination and marginalisation than a working class man due to her gender. Therefore social class can’t be viewed in isolation from other social identities.
- It’s failure to capture the complexity of contemporary society - Whilst social class remains significant in people’s identities, other factors like education, occupation and income may also play a role in shaping an individuals identity. For instance, an individual may identify strongly with their profession or educational attainment. Moreover, in a globalised and multicultural society, factors like migration may challenge traditional notions of social class and identity. The view that social class is the most important identity may be over simplistic and fail to capture the complexity of contemporary social identites.
Evaluate the view that attitudes towards sexuality have changed significantly in the post modern era
THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN ATTITUDES:
- Increased acceptance towards homosexuality. Recently, a significant increase in support for same - sex marriage and many countries legalizing same - sex marriage. It reflects a broader shift to greater acceptance of diverse sexual orientations and non - traditional relationships.
- Traditional gender roles and expectations have shifted in recent years. There has been a rise in feminist movements and a greater emphasis on gender equality, leading to more gender neutral attitudes and behaviours. It has been reflected by the increased number of women now in positions of power.
THERE HASN’T BEEN A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN ATTITUDES:
- There is evidence to suggest that traditional attitudes towards sexuality, such as heterosexual monogamy, continue to be prevalent in many societies. It can be seen in the continued stigmatisation of non - traditional relationships and the resistance to legalizing same - sex marriage in some countries. There is still a significant amount of discrimination and prejudice faced by individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. This can be seen through the high levels of hate crimes and discrimination. There is also a lack of legal protection in many countries.
CONCLUSION: Whilst there has been some progress in the shift towards more positive attitudes, there is still a lot of work to be done in order to achieve true equality and acceptance.
