Identity + Social Class

Question 1

Summarise the different ways of defining Social Class:

Answer 1

- Marx + Engels: Saw class in terms of difference in wealth/ownership of means of 
                                  production

• Complex view of class is developed by those who see it in terms of income, status + thw way they’re linked to different occupations.
• Bourdieu distinguished 3 types of capital:> Economic capital. Consisting of wealth, status> Social capital. Involving social contacts. Measured through questions on friendships with people from of diff occupations’> Culture. Measured through lesiure activities, interests

Question 2

Summarise Upper class identity:

Answer 2

- Roberts: Sees upper class consisting of 2 groups
                    > New upper class (19th century, made wealth from mining + industry)

               >  Old upper class (Got wealth originally from ownership of land)

   Upper class memebers tend to meet at social events such as Oxford boat race
   Usually from similar educational backgrounds  + attended elite unis

- Scott:  Notices how conservative values of tradition, acceptance of privalege, hierarchy,
                and authority, is seen as impotant aspect of upper class identity

               Upper class lesiure activities includes social events that are distinctive such as 
               sports like polo

• Upper class seen as self selecting + exclusive elite relatively closed to outsiders (social closure)

Reinforced by parents encouraging kids to choose partners from other upper class families

Question 3

Summarise the Middle Class;

Answer 3

• Middle class is used in broad way to describe non - manual workers. Usually tend to rely on education + intellectual work
• SAVAGE (4 types of m/c groups + identities):

   ~ Proffesionals. Subscribes to an intellectual identitiy gained from successful education. (Doctors + Lawyers_
  
  ~ Managers. Generally less qualified than proffessionals. More likely to work their way up in a comapny. Defines its status in terms of standard pf living + lesiure activities. M/c managers feel less secure today comlared tp before

  ~ Self employed owners of small businesses. ROBERTS - This group is individualistic.
  Surverys suggest They believe that people should be independent + not rely on their welfare~ White collar/clerical workers. Thir pay + working conditions suprerior to manual workers. Howevers, technology led their pay + status into decline.
• ROBERTS: Despite differences, they all have the emphasis on career success in common.
• M/c believes in Meritocracy, M/c are more likely to make sacrafices to get finacial rewards later. (Deferred gratification)

Question 4

Summarise the Traditional Working class:

Answer 4

• Those in traditional manual work, such as mining + factory work, is known as w/c.
  Was dominant in the 20th century, and still influential in some parts today
• Manual workers identified strongly with each other due to the collective nature of their jobs.
• Relations between between managements + labour workers were often characterised by mistrust + hostility
• Traditional w/c usually have a strong political identity + saw Labour party representing its natural interests against those of the employers
• Such workers had a strong sense of their class identity as they often lived in close - knit communities which made kinship networks

Question 5

Summarise the Decline of the traditional w/c identity:

Answer 5

• Numbers employed in traditional heavy industries, have fallen rapidly since 1970s + 1980s
• Manual workers make up well under the total workforce, so economic basis for class identity + solidarity has weakened
• MCKENZIE ET AL: Among redundant steel workers + builders, theres still as sense of belonging.

Also saw the division between a disadvantaged w/c + a powerful ruling class

• W/c identity found in newer types of high tech manufacturing industries. The new w/c has no heightened sense of class injustice or political loyalty. They believe inidvidualism.
• SAVAGE: Argues that distinctivness between the new w/c can be exaggerated + most people still see society as sharply divided

Question 6

Summarise the “Chavs” w/c identity:

Answer 6

• A negative identity can be imposed on w/c.
• “Chav” has been imposed on particularly young w/c by media.
• SKEGGS: Tv and game shows often portray w/c as immoral such as snog marry avoid

Question 7

Summarise the Underclass w/c identity:

Answer 7

• MURRAY + MOUNT: Identified a supposed a “new” form of w/c identity who are dependent on state benefits
• Group often conists of of individuals such as long term unemplyed, criminals, single parents + addicts
• Children of underclass often socialisaed by parents into a culture failure + criminally

Question 8

Summarise Unemployment, poverty + identity:

Answer 8

• JORDAN: Studies of the poor suggested that those living in poverty, share same ideas about work + family as everyone else
• Surveys shows that unemplyed want to work to regain their dignity. Unemployment odten brings down self idenity, shame + guilt.
• JORDAN: Most dont choose to be poor/unemolyed or to be dependent on welfare benefits, rather its the fault of global recession.

Capitalists companies often close down factories in UK + exploit workers. Unemployed/ poor are therefore excluded by society

• CHARLESWORTH: Study of w/c people on a council estate suggests that those on the bottom end of w/c are misunderstoof by other scoial classes due to ecperiencing low self esteem
• As they devalue themselves, they turn to drink, crimes …