Social mobility Flashcards
P1: What is the functionalist view of social mobility, as stated in Item B?
Functionalists argue stratification is necessary and linked to meritocracy, allowing the most talented to rise to the top through fair competition.
P2: How do Davis and Moore (1945) justify stratification?
They claim it ensures the most capable people fill functionally important roles and are justly rewarded, maintaining societal efficiency.
What real-world example supports the functionalist view?
Education policies like open university access and widening participation aim to enable working-class talent to succeed, suggesting mobility is possible.
What key criticism do Marxists and feminists (Item B) make of this view?
They argue it ignores structural barriers like cultural capital and gender discrimination that limit genuine mobility.
Why is the functionalist perspective considered overly idealistic?
It assumes a level playing field while downplaying how inherited privilege (e.g., private education) distorts meritocratic outcomes.
P2: How do Marxists explain the UK’s social mobility, per Item B’s critique?
They argue capitalism reproduces class inequality by design, with elites hoarding opportunities through systems like private education.
What concept does Bourdieu use to explain class barriers?
Cultural capital—middle/upper-class children inherit knowledge, networks, and attitudes that help them navigate institutions like education.
How does Althusser’s concept of ISAs relate to mobility?
: Institutions like education (an ISA) legitimise inequality by convincing people class positions are earned, not inherited.
What does the “4-2-1 rule” (Killner & Whilby) reveal?
Sons of service-class fathers are 4× more likely to stay in that class than working-class sons can enter it, proving mobility is rare.
: What is a limitation of the Marxist view?
It may understate individual agency and policy progress (e.g., some working-class students do access elite universities).
P3: How do feminists critique functionalist mobility claims (Item B)?
They highlight patriarchal barriers like the glass ceiling and occupational segregation that limit women’s mobility regardless of merit.
What is Sylvia Walby’s theory of patriarchy?
It operates in spheres like family and work—e.g., women face career disruption from childcare, slowing their progression.
How does Bukodi’s “occupational maturity” concept show gender inequality?
Men stabilise careers by their mid-30s, while women’s progress is interrupted by parenting, skewing mobility measurements.
What are horizontal and vertical segregation?
Horizontal: women clustered in low-paid sectors (e.g., care work). Vertical: few women in top roles, even in feminised fields.
Why might gender mobility statistics be misleading?
While the pay gap is narrowing, women still face hidden penalties (e.g., part-time work post-childbirth reduces lifetime earnings).
