Social Class Identity Flashcards
What is social Class?
It’s a system of stratification placing people in different positions in society
Stratification
Division of society into a hierarchy. Stratification in a capitalist society is based on class.
The Registrar Generals Scale
Descriptive approach to measuring social class, used from 1911 – 1990s, based on occupational skill.
The NS SEC
National Statistics Socio-economic Classification, descriptive approach based on occupations according to their similarity of qualifications, training, skills and experience, used from 1997.
Objective definitions of class
People placed in a social class by using a scale or measurement device
Subjective definition of class
Where people place themselves and how they define themselves
Ascribed status
Position born into e.g. Member of the royal family
Achieved status
Position a person has worked to get e.g. Teacher
Socialisation into social identities
- Family
- Peers
- Workplace
- Education
Upper class- Mackintosh and Mooney:
- Upper class operate social closure meaning daily time and leisure time are separated and private
- Occupation linked to identity
- Judgements about occupations socialises us
- Social class gives us a sense of belonging
Upperclass - Scott- Old boy network
- Upper class uses old boy network to give each other contacts
- Advantages them securing business deals and promotions
- Exercise social closure by employing other upper class people gains social capital
What two processes does Scott identify in the family that contribute to the ‘social closure’ of the elite?
- Encouraging inter-marriages
- Immersing children into a culture of privilege through their types of names, socialisation into high culture, participation in blood sports and a concern for etiquette
Types of media knows as ‘high culture?
Classical music, art, ballet and opera
. In what way is ‘high culture’ a critique of ‘popular culture’?
It dismisses popular culture as ‘low’ culture as it is not seen as valuable as high culture.
Scott-Education
Public/Private schools and Oxbridge socialise children into a culture of privilege.
Their hidden curriculum teaches values such as superiority, conservatism and acceptance of authority.
These justify their privilege in terms of public service and common good.
Social Closure
- Upper class practice and prevent outsiders from joining
- Invite only events and intermarriages
Old boy and Old school networking
- Network to further each other’s career
- similar characteristics and often formed at school
Tradition Upper class key words
Aristocracy
Ascribed status
Economic, social and cultural capital
Smallest group
Most coherent and solid
Social closure
Concentration of wealth
Wealthy extended families
Culture of privilege
Common educational background
Old boy/old school tie network
New- Super rich:
Jet set pop aristocracy
Entrepreneurial rich
Achieved status
Economic capital
Social capital
Kenaway - Upper class
Thought social class was important to private school girls due to their private education and maintaining self esteem by devaluing status and achievement.
KING AND RAYNOR - Middle class
Suggests parents socialize middle class identities by reinforcing attitudes and values about the importance of educational success through the use of role models, positive and negative sanctions and imitations. Child centeredness important feature of middle class families
Bordieu- Middle class
- Hidden curriculum
- Rewards middle class values
- Lessons which are not taught in school like norms and values
- Suggests middle class has values, knowledge and leisure interests levels of language and skills at home
Goodwin- Middle Class
- Yummy mummies
- Who dress as an upper class mother and has sparkly clean houses
Saunders- Middle Class
- Those who satisfy their needs through ownership or various goods are influenced heavily by advertising and the media.
- Targets middle class. They are the group with the highest disposable income and they often define their identity by what they own.
