Explain and briefly evaluate the ways in which class my shape a person’s identity Flashcards
point 1
One way in which class may shape a persons identity is through social and leisure activities that can socialize them into the lifestyle of a certain class.
example 1
Roberts found that During their socialisation young members of the upper class are introduced to the exclusive social events that provide a distinctive upper class lifestyle. These events include hunting, rowing, sailing and opera. Together, they provide a clear picture of a distinctive upper class lifestyle.
explain 1
This shows that class can shape a persons identity as through the peer group young upper class children can be socialized into the closed off lifestyle that resonates throughout the upper class by being involved with their activities that are seen exclusive to themselves.
Counter 1
However Pakulski and Waters argue that lifestyles are becoming a central organising feature of people’s lives and a major source of social and personal identity and are less likely to be based on social class which shows that activities based on a certain social class won’t shape a persons identity.
point 2
Another way in which class may shape a persons identity is through education, this is because education teaches the values of the middle class and can socialize children into their values.
example 2
Bourdieu suggests that schools are essentially middle-class institutions run by middle-class teachers for the benefit of middle-class pupils. He argues that what goes on in schools in terms of what is regarded as acceptable knowledge, language and behaviour is defined by middle-class professionals. Bourdieu refers to this middle-class advantage as ‘cultural capital’.
explain 2
This shows that class can shape a persons identity as through education as it uses secondary socialization to instil middle class views in middle class children so they can follow these to have their correct class identity and in working class children so they can have an identity more similar to those of the middle class which is seen a superior.
counter 2
However Clarke and Saunders argue that class identities don’t matter anymore as nowadays peoples lives are more likely to be centred on their leisure and the things they spend their money on. So identities may no longer be based on how people earn their money but on how they spend it.
point 3
Another way in which class may shape a persons identity through education is through reinforcing identities and acting as a rehearsal for later working life norms and values.
example 3
Willis found that the working class ‘lads’ he studied were not interested in education or qualifications because they had their minds set on factory jobs. However they actually enjoyed going to school as they could laugh at the expense of conformist students by expressing working class values such as masculinity and sexism which were values that they would use later life at their factory jobs.
explain 3
This shows that class shapes identity through education as it creates sub-cultures which reinforce identities that are identified with a specific class, in this example working class children join the lad group in which they reinforce their values through anti-school behaviour.
counter 3
however Mike Savage’s research suggests that class is still an important influence on people’s lives and living standards but class identities have weakened. Most people recognise the relevance of class in the wider society but are not keen to express their own personal identities in class terms.
intro
The narrow view of class is that it is solely a matter of occupation, income and wealth. But each social class has its own special identity, its own set of values, its own lifestyles and habits. Marxists argue that class is still the determining influence in society.
