Lecture 8: social capital and status attainment

Question 1

Status attainment

Answer 1

a process by which individuals mobilize and invest resources for returns in socio-economic standing (values resources attached to occupied positions)

• personal resources: what an individu uses without much concern for compensation
• social resources: assessable through one’s direct and indirect ties

Question 2

2 types of status (blau & duncan)

Answer 2

1. Ascribed status: a type of status that is assigned, for
   example by tradition, inheritance, customs (for example parents education and occupational status, nobility)
2. Achieved status: a status that is earned by the person itself, a personal achievement through one’s own capabilities

Question 3

results article status attainment model (blau & duncan)

Answer 3

if fathers education and job is high, the kids education and job will also be higher
- education dad has least effect: own education the most important factor for attained status

Question 4

bourdieu’s reproduction theory

Answer 4

Social reproduction: involves the transmission of inequality (and its associated advantages and disadvantages in capital) across generations

• Different types of capital: cultural capital, financial capital, human capital, social capital
• not only class, but also resources coming from social networks
• Emphasizes that ruling and intellectual classes do maintain unequal power structures

Question 5

piketty’s idea

Answer 5

people that have capital/wealth will benefit, more and thus the gap between haves and have nots widens

Question 6

gini coefficient

Answer 6

• ranging from 0 (= perfect equility) to 1 (=perfect inequality) so the lower the better
• measures income or wealth inequality among a population

Question 7

3 properties in the theory of social capital

Answer 7

1. Social resources: social resources exert effect on the outcome of an instrumental action (e.g. attained status)
2. Strength of position: social resources are affected by the original position of ego (e.g. parents or previous resources of ego)
3. Strength of ties: social resources are also affected by the use of weaker rather than strong ties

Question 8

procceses of the relationships between social capital and status attainment

Answer 8

1. acces (how to devoy social capital which affects status attainment)
2. use of social contacts and resources (mobilization)

Question 9

difference bodning and bridging

Answer 9

Bonding social capital is within a group or community
- strong ties
- people who are alike
- thick trust
Bridging social capital is between social groups; social class, race, religion or other important sociodemographic or socioeconomic characteristics
- weaker ties
- people who are different
- thin trust

Question 10

results article on finding jobs (granovetter)

Answer 10

• many employees find jobs through weaker contacts (diffusion across network, only seeing these people occasionally or rarely, so weak ties)
• doesn’t necessary find higher wages
• weak ties aren’t better than strong ties