post-modernist views on inequality Flashcards
why do post-modernists reject marxist views on inequality?
they say class is now irrelevant, people just develop a sense of class when the issue is important to them.
do post-modernists think inequality is an individual or structural problem?
individual - people only feel deprived when they see others with better material goods.
what do post-modernists think functionalism, marxism and feminism is?
meta-narratives aiming to explain everything.
why do post modernists say that old methods of describing inequality/poverty are irrelevant.
because in contemporary society social class is not determined by male occupational roles as now there are female breadwinners and dual-earning families so can’t generalise on class.
what is a cultural turn?
a change in focus which focusses on lifestyles, tastes and patterns of consumption.
what is conspicuous consumption?
the status that people gain from consuming.
how does lyotard explain inequality?
society is now diffused and fragmented and consumer society makes individuals feel unequal because of relative deprivation. people no longer share values.
what does beck say about a risk society?
people no longer feel safe in face of economic, environmental and social change.
who talks about there being status difference rather than class difference?
pakulski
what is the zombie category?
class is dead and no longer important
who talks about the zombie category?
beck
what does bauman call people unable to consume effectively?
the repressed
what does bauman call people who are able to consume effectively?
the seduced
why do people have to gain identity from consuming rather than occupation?
jobs are no longer secure eg zero hour contracts and people changing careers. this is called post fordism
how has feminisation of labour changed society?
increase in service sector jobs which suit feminine skills.
what has globalisation led to?
less traditional manufacturing jobs in the uk due to labour being cheaper elsewhere.
what is social exclusion?
people are excluded when they lack a sense of engagement not when they are poor and these personal characteristics make them unemployable.
criticisms of post-modernist views on inequality?
denies inequality exists
gaps between rich and poor are widest they’ve been in years
‘social exclusion’ theory gives gov a way of glossing over stats showing growing inequality.
who talks about pick’n’mix identities?
hobswarn
what is a pick’n’mix identity?
people can choose which aspect of their identity they want to present through lifestyles and tastes.
