Week Seventeen - The Great British Crime Survey Flashcards
Details about the survey…
In January 2011, with the help of BBC Lab UK, asked the BBC audience to complete a questionnaire on different dimensions of class.
Measuring class not just by the job that people do, but by the different kinds of economic, cultural and social resources or ‘capitals’ that people possess.
People asked about their income, the value of their home and savings, which together is known as ‘economic capital’.
Their cultural interests and activities, known as ‘cultural capital’.
The number and status of people they know, which is called ‘social capital’.
Findings of the survey…
20th century middle-class and working-class stereotypes are out of date. Only 39% of participants fit into the Established Middle Class and Traditional Working Class categories.
The very rich and very poor are still with us in the 21st Century”
The traditional working class is changing. It’s smaller than it was in the past. The new generation are more likely to be Affluent Workers or Emergent Service Workers.
People consume culture in a complicated way. The Technical Middle Class are less culturally engaged while emergent service workers participate in various activities.
The extremes of our class system are very important. The Elite (6%) and Precariat (15%) often get forgotten with more focus on the middle and working classes.
Method of the survey…
The full class survey was based on a theory developed by Pierre Bourdieu in 1984
It looked at a person’s cultural and social life as well as their economic standing
Participants were asked if they enjoyed any of 27 cultural activities including watching opera and going to the gym.
Three types of capital…
Economic capital: the value of home and savings,
Cultural capital: their cultural interests and activities,
Social capital: status of people they know.
There are seven types of class…
Elite
Established Middle Class
Technical Middle Class
New Affluent Workers
Emergent Service Workers
Traditional Working Class
Precariat
Elite
Most privileged class - high levels of all 3 capitals. High economic capital sets them apart from everyone else.
Established Middle Class
High levels of all 3 capitals although not as high as the Elite. Gregarious and culturally engaged.
Technical Middle Class
New, small class with high economic capital but seem less culturally engaged. Relatively few social contacts and so are less socially engaged.
New Affluent Workers
Medium levels of economic capital and higher levels of cultural and social capital. Young and active group.
Emergent Service Workers
New class with low economic capital but high levels of ‘emerging’ cultural capital and high social capital. This group are young and often found in urban areas.
Traditional Working Class
Scores low on all forms of the 3 capitals although not the poorest group. Average age is older than the others.
Precariat
Most deprived class of all with low levels of economic, cultural and social capital. The everyday lives of members of this class are precarious.
Twentieth-century middle-class and working-class stereotypes are out of date….
Only 39% of participants fit into the Established Middle Class and Traditional Working Class categories.
The traditional working class is changing. …
It’s smaller than it was in the past. The new generation are more likely to be Affluent Workers or Emergent Service Workers.
People consume culture in a complicated way…
The Technical Middle Class are less culturally engaged while emergent service workers participate in various activities.
