Social class disadvantages

Question 1

workplace

Answer 1

Mac an Ghail - deindustrialisation has lead to a ‘Crisis of masculinity’ amongst working class males – They face unemployment.

Willis - Working class males see their futures as working in basic manual labour jobs like their fathers therefore they do not aspire for more

Question 2

Education

Answer 2

Bourdieu - education system biased towards dominant class culture + devalues knowledge and skills of wc through hidden curriculum, argues wc lack cultural capital to succeed due to discrimination

Jackson - ‘Ladettes’ adapt anti school attitudes + assertive femininity around smoking and arguing with teachers, negatively labelled by teachers

The department for education - Attainment 8 measures student’s average grade across eight subjects based on anything above a grade 5: Those eligible for free school meals (FSM - i.e. students from the most deprived backgrounds)

Question 3

Media

Answer 3

Price - developed concept of ‘poverty porn’ for channels such as Benefit street + led to UC being exploited by the media to shock and entertain purposes

Miliband - media is the new “opium of the people” in that it distracts us as the working class masses from real social issues faced in a capitalist society

Question 4

Crime

Answer 4

Harding – Working class youths in London face deprivation and turn to crime for income – ‘Street Casino’ as they turn to crime and gamble with their lives – street capital is gained through committing deviance/criminal activities

Walmsley et al - 41% of prisoners are from the lowest social classes. But only 19% of the overall population.