Social class identity

Question 1

What is social class

Answer 1

A group of people with a similar economic position in society (occupation income wealth) and similar level of education

Question 2

Features of social class

Answer 2

Money
Possessions 
House
Holidays
Lifestyle
Tv viewing habits
Dressing style
Accent or speech
Norms and values
Occupation 
Social class

Question 3

The upper class

Answer 3

Less than 1% of population
Characterised by wealth and prestige
Consists of 3 groups
1.) Landowning  aristocrats (inherited wealth, old money example is royal family
2.) Entrepreneurs (Alan Sugar)
3.) Jet settlers (celebrities)

Question 4

Features of upper class

Answer 4

Education (harrow or eton)
Public schools
Social capital
Self confidence and superiority

Family and marriage patterns
Intermarriage

Social and leisure activities
Exclusive hobbies and events example include Wimbledon or polo

Values
Traditions: conservative
Authority:belief in social hierarchy
Breeding and background: good background = sameness

Question 5

Upper class case studies

Answer 5

Rajek (2000) some members of the upper class are work ventured

MacKintosh And Mooney 2004) the upper class practice ‘social closure’- A system whereby members of a group act to prevent others from joining the group

Question 6

Middle class (Savage-1995) 
4 types of middle class identity

Answer 6

Professionals -doctors
Managers in private businesses- less job security than professionals
Self employed owners of small businesses- many independant workers
White collars or celerical workers

Question 7

3 ideas central to understandings middle class identity

Answer 7

Home ownership
Child centred
Education

Question 8

(King and Raynor 1981) child centerdness

Answer 8

Children= focus of family

Parents will do everything for their kids to do well educationally

Question 9

Douglas (1964)

Answer 9

Middle class parents take more interest in children’s education

Question 10

Education (Bourdieu)

Answer 10

Middle class children have cultural capital needed to to well in schools
School: middle class institutions run by middle class teachers 

Boudieu is a neo Marxist

Question 11

Working class

Answer 11

Manuel workers

Used by a majority of the population

Question 12

Features of working class

Answer 12

Manual and unskilled labour- shipping, factory workers

Traditional gender roles
Boys followed fathers into employment
Strong community and unity
Voted Labour Party and trade union membership
Immediate gratification ( spend money straight away)
Cheaper housing in less desirable area ( shoreditch )

Question 13

New working class culture

Answer 13

Lives more prioritised (less community)
Employment in services (sector officer or call centres)
Changing gender roles
Rise in home ownership
More social aspirations ( university educations )

Question 14

Reasons for change

Answer 14

Decline in manufacturing (fewer jobs)
Growth of service sectors (new jobs)
Changing educational opportunities (student loans)
Improved education for girls
Individualisation and less pressure to follow parents employment

Question 15

How social class identity is created and reinforced

Answer 15

The family can promote class identity by passing on cultural and economic capital to children

Question 16

How is social class identity changing? Postmodern view studies

Answer 16

Social class in the UK are fragmenting or least changing.

Offe (1985) the days when people had a job for life’s has gone. We are all able to create our own identities regardless of the social class or the level of qualification or job

Lyon (1994) postmodern world is a consumer society. Imdiviual can pick and mix from different styles which were traditionally associated with one social class

Pakulski and Waters- lifestyle is becoming an important feature of people’s lives and major source of people’s identity. Lifestyle is based on choice