SOC281 - Class + Status Groups

Question 1

Compare and contrast “class” and “status groups.” How are these concepts used to study culture and inequality?

Answer 1

• Status groups:
• members of status groups know importance of maintaining lifestyle that contributes to social status + power, + actively work on lifestyle + on its conversion into social standing, power + life chances
• forms of status groups struggles for social prestige parallel to class struggles
• extensive social relationships with each other
• Ppl in socially recognized life course stage constitute a status group (teenagers, seniors, etc.)

Question 2

Compare and contrast “class” and “status groups.” How are these concepts used to study culture and inequality?

Answer 2

• Class:
• Weber distinguish class from status group, Bourdieu analyzes classes + occupations as though they were status groups.
• Classes develop distinctive lifestyles + come to seem based on those lifestyles, not on the underlying positions in hierarchies of power + privilege.
• stress key elements of aspects of their own lifestyles that serve as critical bases for their claims to high social status.

Question 3

Compare and contrast “class” and “status groups.” How are these concepts used to study culture and inequality?

Answer 3

•difficult training, high levels of demonstrable skill + value of their work to others, bases for claims to a high level of honour + hence to claims for high rewards related to life chances
•monitor performances of other members, criticizing any who endanger claims to honour
Each class/occupation has distinctive lifestyle

Question 4

Compare and contrast “class” and “status groups.” How are these concepts used to study culture and inequality?

Answer 4

• Weber: purely determined by economy - owners (bourgeoisie) own + control the means of production, managers (control everyday work of the company), supervisors (limited control of small number of workers they directly supervise),employees (trade labour power for wages + take orders)

• resources one brings to marketplace, that shape one’s chances of doing well there.
• emphasizes importance of ownership - differences in skill levels among the non-owners who can only sell their labour power.
• consist of ppl who have similar kinds of market resources + hence similar life chances

Question 5

Class

Answer 5

Weber: resources one brings to marketplace, that shape one’s chances of doing well there.
•emphasizes importance of ownership - differences in skill levels among the non-owners who can only sell their labour power.
•consist of ppl who have similar kinds of market resources + hence similar life chances

Question 6

Class

Answer 6

• owners (bourgeoisie) own + control the means of production, managers (control everyday work of the company), supervisors (limited control of small number of workers),employees (trade labour power for wages)
• More higher up = more autonomy, more economic capital
• Weber distinguish class from status group, Bourdieu analyzes classes + occupations as though they were status groups.
• Classes develop distinctive lifestyles + come to seem based on those lifestyles, not on the underlying positions in hierarchies of power + privilege.

Question 7

Class

Answer 7

• stress key elements of aspects of their own lifestyles that serve as critical bases for their claims to high social status.
• difficult training, high levels of demonstrable skill + value of their work to others, bases for claims to a high level of honour + hence to claims for high rewards related to life chances
• monitor performances of other members, criticizing any who endanger claims to honour
• Each class/occupation has distinctive lifestyle

Question 8

Status group

Answer 8

• members know importance of maintaining lifestyle that contributes to social status + power, + actively work on lifestyle + on its conversion into social standing, power + life chances
• extensive social relationships with each other
• Ppl in a socially recognized life course stage (teenagers, seniors)
• Class based status groups: occupations, gender, ethnic groups, age groups

Question 9

Status group

Answer 9

• socially ranked + defined by specific lifestyle
• Serious about maintaining characteristic lifestyle: base for claim for honour
• Serious about internal policing
• Ppl with disapprove and put pressure on you to conform
• Trying to maintain reputation
• level based on lifestyle which is recognized as good