postmodern theory of inequality

Question 1

pakulski and waters

Answer 1

class inequalities no longer exist as class is no longer relevant
-class inequalities have lost relevance due to decline of trad class based social structures
-consumer culture has overtaken class and people express themselves through consumption and lifestyle rather than economic roles
-class divisions are now complex and fluid occupational and social structures leaving class fragmented

Question 2

butler

Answer 2

gender inequalities are less relevant as boundaries once placed no men and women are no longer in place
-challenges notion of gender as a fixed category and argues that it is performative
-individuals have more freedom to shape their own lives making trad roles like gender less restrictive

Question 3

vertovec

Answer 3

-ethnicity has become more diverse and fragmented making it hard to define a single unified experience of ethnic inequality
-ethnic groups are not homogeneous as their experiences are shaped by a variety of factors like migration, clas and individual identity
-ethnic inequality is less relevant as no longer clearly defined
-there is no longer a single struggle for equality that can unite people of one ethnic background
-the focus should shift to understanding the varied, intersecting factors that shape peoples experiences of identity and discrimination

Question 4

featherstone and hepworth

Answer 4

age inequalities no longer exist because age group boundaries have blurred
-age no longer determines how people experience work or their social roles as rigidly as it did
-longer life expectancy, more flexible careers mean people aren’t confined to age specific careers
-people can adopt different identities at different stages of life
-people have more freedom to define themselves in postmodern society outside of age based expectations
-older individuals not automatically marginalised and youth not seen as more desirable