unit 1A - topic 6 - social class Flashcards
personal identity
The way we see ourselves in relation to others: what makes a similar or different to others and how they see us
social identity
Based on our membership of your identification with certain social groups: may be described birth or achieved over the course of life
Ascribed status
Status given to an individual at birth
Achieved status
Status gained by an individual over the course of their life through their actions and behaviour
What is social class?
Involves elements of wealth🤑, income📥 and culture 🎭
What is the most recent categorisation of class?
ONS Social Class scheme:
Based on occupation, 8 divisions 🎱
Why is the ONS Social class system problematic?
It doesn’t consider other factors like culture, social circle, wealth etc
Upper class
TOP <1%
Enormous wealth, privilege, exclusivity, elite culture.
Socially ‘closed’ 😐🚪⛔️
👞🎓🐎🌳🥂🫖🥍⛳️🏇🩰🎭🎻♟🏫💸🇬🇧💂♀️
Family ties, connections, exclusive activities. KINSHIP CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FAMILIES come from intermarriage, top education 🏫 (old boy 👦 network)
Aristocratic tradition, self confidence, social superiority
Ken Roberts (2001)
Upper class is CLOSED 😐🔐
Tight knit shared culture creates web 🕸 of links and contacts, so v difficult for non members to penetrate aristocracy
High culture social events e.g. Chelsea Flower 💐 Show, Glyndebourne opera
Sutton Trust
Elite go to PRIVATE SCHOOLS and get TOP JOBS (Eton £40,000)
1/3 of MPs come from private school 🏫
Private schools teach elements of high culture (Latin, lacrosse) and creates old boy network, REINFORCES ELITE EXCLUSIVITY
King 🤴 and Smith (2018)
JACKS WILLS CROWD - target elite upper class (tweed, logo+text related to sailing ⛵️ etc) 👞💼🧥
Targeted top uni / private school students 🎓🏫, gaining presence by attending Oxbridge polo matches etc
Since 90s, pressure for increasing social class diversity in Oxbridge. Students embraced Jack Wills culture EVEN MORE, increased pressure to maintain social status in diverse cohort of students.
Even in postmodern society of fluidity, clear structures and hierarchies STILL EXIST
middle class
ONS 1 + 2: professional, well paid, skilled, non-manual jobs.
Wide variety of jobs, less exclusive strong shared identity.
Both cultural and material privilege.
Bourdieu
Ruling class have POWER to shape values.
Acquire and pass on CULTURAL CAPITAL - Bernstein speech codes, parents have greater understanding of education system (Ball - parental choice from 1988 marketisation)
SYSTEMATIC VIOLENCE against working class kids bc of
CAPITAL THEORY
Gillies
MIDDLE CLASS parents use CULTURAL CAPITAL to manipulate education system to benefit their children (e.g. getting on school governors committee)
Skeggs
working class women wanting to progress in healthcare professions needed to CONFORM TO MIDDLE CLASS CULTURAL NORMS (resocialisaton - dress code, speech style)
