Social Class Flashcards
What is social class?
Is a system of stratification which places people in different positions in society. This can be determined by many different factors and are different classifications of what social class is
What is stratification?
The division of society into hierarchically ordered layers with the most privileged at the top and least favoured at the bottom
What is stratification?
The division of society into hierarchically ordered layers with the most privileged at the top and least favoured at the bottom
Mackintosh and Mooney
Pointed out that a key feature if the upper class is their invisiblity. The upper class operate “social closure” meaning their education, leisure time and daily lives and separated from and invisible to the rest of the population
What is social closure?
The upper class practice this, preventing outsiders from joining in the lifestyle and culture of that class
What is the Old Boy/Old School Tie Network?
Networks of contacts used to further each others careers and influence. Networks formed with people sharing similar cultural characteristics
High culture
- Linked to the elite, upper class society
- Very small proportions of society can access high culture as you need to be economically and socially connected
- one example of a high culture would be polo
- another example would be the opera
King and Raynor
middle class identity is reinforced by success through the use of role models, positive & negative sanctions and imitation. Suggesting child centeredness is a distinctive feature of middle class families
King and Raynor
middle class identity is reinforced by success through the use of role models, positive & negative sanctions and imitation. Suggesting child centeredness is a distinctive feature of middle class families
What does Bourdieu suggest?
That school helps us to socialise people into middle class through role models, imitation, rewards and sanctions
Therefore it could be said that the education system is said to reinforce class identity
What is social capital?
Networking and socialising with others in a similar economic position to advantage them
What is economic capital?
The amount of money/material goods that a person/group possess
Goodwin
Suggests that many middle class mothers define their identities by peer approval
“Yummy Mummies”, are now defined by peer approval on maternal capabilites, glamour and “style” of their children
Wright
Argues that the middle class occupy a contradictory class position
What is consumer culture?
- related to what we buy/consume in society. People often portray a sense of identity through what we wear/buy
- UK and Western cultures have growing and large consumer culture
Saunders
Suggests the media targets middle age as they are the group with highest disposable income and they often define themselves by what they own and show this off, known as conspicuous consumption
Lury
argues that there were a several features and examples of the existence of consumer culture such as the idea of large forms of shopping centers and shopping online
What is the traditional working class?
Dominant for the most of the 20th century and still influential in some part of the UK
What is the new working class?
Seen to be replacing the traditional working class as new types of jobs replace old manual ones
Willis
Found that for both boys and their fathers, their jobs were a key source of identity
They defined themselves as manual workers and members of this occupation was the key defining feature of middle class identity
What do Marxists argue?
That education function is to maintain legitimate and reproduce class inequalities in wealth and power by transmitting capitalist ruling class values disguised as common values
Suggesting that education is designed for and by the ruling class and encourages those from working class to be passive
Mac An Ghaill
Argues that working class men are experiencing a crisis in masculinity. As the manual jobs they felt destined to go into were no longer available, meaning their traditional hegemonic identity was no longer being fulfilled
Murray
Claims that the underclass are lazy, workshy, immoral, criminal and dependent on benefits, he suggests it is their own fault they are in this position.
Jordon
Disagrees, and argues that they have the same values and attitudes as everyone else and most of them would love to work if they had the chance, they feel a sense of shame
What is popular culture?
It is associated with shallow activities that can be accessed by the masses through the media
One example would be conspicuous consumption, those who satisfy their needs through personal ownership
Another example would be theatre
Pukulski and Waters
Postmodernists, suggests that there has been a shift in production to consumption in the defining of identities. We are now defined by what we buy, not what we do as an occupation
Offe
argues that in todays society, fewer and fewer individuals share a common, unifying experience of full time work
Skeggs
Found that working class woman had instrumental attitudes to work, their jobs didn’t influence their identities, it was a means to an end
New working class saw capitalism as effective in rising their living standards and therefore have no sense of class injustice
They see society as meritocratic as they believe all individuals have an equal chance of success and believe in individualism
Giddens
agrees with John Scott that there is a traditional working class, however argues that a further two groups have emerged which could now be considered part of the upper class called the super rich
What is Pop aristocracy?
Have earned money through sport, media and entertainment
What is entrepreneurial rich?
Have earned money through business empire
Features of the new middle classes
More social mobility
Middle class has fragmented
New manual occupations have become middle class
What is immediate gratification?
Associated with traditional working class - where individuals are unwilling to sacrifice anything for a better future
What is deferred gratification?
When individuals are willing to sacrifice now for benefits in the future
