Postmodernism on Inequality Flashcards
Define ‘stratification’.
The hierarchical layering of society into distinct groups with different levels of wealth and status.
What is postmodernism?
A reaction to what is modern in society at the time.
What do Postmodernists claim about inequality?
That it exists due to the way society is organised and because of its fragmentation, inequalities exist in peoples head instead of existing as a social problem.
What do Postmodernists claim about social change?
- Inevitable
- Unplanned
- Causes concern
- Some are more significant than others
How might social change cause inequality?
Due to it being unplanned the change can be more significant for some groups than others causing more concerns for them due to rising inequalities that they didn’t experience before.
Identify 4 important Postmodernist thinkers.
1) Lyotard (1979)
2) Stuart Hall (1993)
3) Bauman (1990s)
4) Pakulski (1996)
How does Lyotard (1979) explain inequality in a postmodern society?
Lyotard (1979) argued that our identities are constructed from what we consume due to the rise in choice and a ‘hyper-reality’ from the media in that we move away from social relations to ones with consumer lifestyles that may cause inequality for some as they lack things others have
How does Stuart Hall (1993) explain ethnic inequalities?
Stuart Hall (1993) identified the concept of ‘hybridisation’ due to the mixing of cultures creating a lack of distinction between different ethnicities, diminishing racism and so their social inequality with any they still experience being in their head.
Give evidence to reject Stuart Hall’s (1993) idea of racism becoming diminished.
The median pay for Bangladeshi men is £9 per hour compared to £13 for White British men.
- Equality and Human Rights Commission (2017)
How does Bauman (1990s) explain inequalities?
Bauman (1990s) identified the concept of ‘liquid modernity’ that describes how our identities can be selected due to the variety of choices in a postmodern society rejecting the idea of ascribed statuses.
How does Pakulski (1996) explain inequalities?
Pakulski (1996) argued that class no longer exists and we are instead governed by our status difference due to individualism that causes us to be selfish which may create inequalities between groups who are losing out.
Give evidence to reject Pakulski’s (1996) idea of class no longer affecting position.
38% of working class pupils gained 5 GCSE A*-C grades compared to 65% of other pupils. - Teach First report (2014)
How might social exclusion in a postmodern society cause inequality?
Due to fragmentation people get excluded when they have a lack of engagement with society and so suffer from multiple characteristics (e.g. poor education, high crime rates) that make them unemployable and so experience inequality in opportunities.
According to Postmodernism what inequalities arise in the family?
None due to them being a choice, e.g. marriage being a choice.
According to Postmodernism what inequalities arise in the workplace?
Loss of occupational status means that men in particular no longer have a sense of what it is to be masculine, creating a crisis of masculinity.
