xu Flashcards
(24 cards)
1
Q
Stratification
A
- Societies differ in the social relevance
attributed to certain characteristics - Or: they differ in the extent to which such characteristics affect
access to resources - resources = money, knowledge, power … (think Bourdieu’s capital types
2
Q
Systems of stratification 2: Caste
A
- Also very closed system: social position is given at birth and will
not change (no social mobility) - Positions are based on ascribed characteristics such as race,
ethnicity, (parental) religion, (parental) caste - Opposite of meritocracy, where positions are based on achievement
- Marriages or mere interactions with members from other castes
are often forbidden - Indian casts (e.g. untouchables), Jewish ghettos, Apartheid
3
Q
Systems of
stratification 3: Estate
A
- Think medieval Europa as an
example: social strata with
different rights and obligations
towards one another - Aristocracy – clergy – commoners
- Some social mobility was/is possible
(Sir Paul McCartney) - Hereditary titles (like the British
queen or Dutch king) still exist, also
among dukes, earls, counts..
4
Q
Systems of stratification 2: Caste
A
- Also very closed system: social position is given at birth and will
not change (no social mobility) - Positions are based on ascribed characteristics such as race,
ethnicity, (parental) religion, (parental) caste - Opposite of meritocracy, where positions are based on achievement
- Marriages or mere interactions with members from other castes
are often forbidden - Indian casts (e.g. untouchables), Jewish ghettos, Apartheid
5
Q
Systems of stratification 4: Class
A
- “Class is a large-scale group of people who share common
economic resources and social status, which strongly influence the
type of lifestyles they are able to lead.” - Typical features setting them apart from systems 1-2-3:
1. Class systems are fluid; boundaries are blurry and permeable
2. Class positions are at least partially achieved (some meritocracy
and some mobility is needed for optimal allocation of talent)
3. Class is economically based (smaller role for, e.g., race or religion)
4. Class systems are large-scale and impersonal - Not like being someone’s personal slave or servant
6
Q
Theories of social class: Marx
A
- class is based on having a common relationship
to the means of production - Owning land versus working the land
- Owning means of production versus selling your labor to these owners
- Economic diagnosis: exploitation / pauperization
- Social diagnosis: alienation / need for class consciousness to
develop - Critique: two-class model is outdated and class is not the main
source of identification anymore
7
Q
Theories of social class: Weber
A
- Multidimensional view: class & status & party are 3 dimensions
of stratification - Class: yes important, but within the crude system of Marx much
variation is present, based on, e.g. diplomas, skills - Status: social honor or prestige as a source of power and made
visible through one’s style of life (lifestyle?) - Status symbols, manners, dress, home (decoration) etc.
- Independent source of power, for example owed to old money,
aristocracy, family name/reputation, type of job, etc. - Party: political power through group affiliation
- Political parties, religious groups, special interest groups
- With three dimensions of stratification, the number of possible
positions expands exponentially - Making class consciousness à la Marx less likely and the study of
inequality richer
8
Q
Theories of social class: Erik Olin Wright
A
- Marx’ distinction between capitalists and workers has become
less useful - In between these groups we have managers and white-collar
workers who are in contradictory class locations - Controlling some elements of production process, but not all
- Positions of those in between are determined by:
- Relationship to authority (e.g., controlling working class)
- Possession of skills and expertise (can significantly raise salaries)
9
Q
Beyond theories of class: intersectionality
A
- Apart from class/status/party, inequality is also
caused by factors such as gender, ethnicity,
sexuality, disability, etc. - Understanding the combined impact of such
features requires studies that really look closely at
people’s lives in context - Questions:
- what should be included to get a good view of sources of
power and inequality? - What should be the relative importance with which we
treat these factors?
10
Q
Intersectionality
A
Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how multiple social identities—such as race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, and more—interact to shape individuals’ experiences of privilege and oppression
11
Q
Homogamy
A
notion that spouses tend to be alike in terms of
education and income positions
12
Q
Operationalizing class
A
Combines market
situation and work
situation/employment
relations
13
Q
underclass
A
- Typically (longterm) unemployed, falling below any class
scheme - Stuck in culture of dependency (unintended consequence /
dysfunction of welfare policy) or culture of poverty - Unstable marriages, unemployment, concentration in ghettos, poor
health, crime, limited facilities, low education, few connections to labor
market, ethnic minority background… - The fact that so many additional conditions are linked to
class position, creates a link between class and lifestyle
14
Q
working class
A
- Shrinking class that shows growing prosperity
- Getting better salaries did not turn them into people
with more middle-class attituded (no sign of
embourgeoisement) - Their jobs still were alienating and with little
career opportunities - They did not socialize with middle-class people
a lot - They did not (in 1960s) change their political
orientation (in UK: Labour Party)
15
Q
middle class
A
- While the 1% elite in the upper class is too small a group to put
in a class scheme, the middle class has expanded and
diversified and now makes up the majority of the employed - Middle class grew due to growing number of managerial and
administrative occupations - Professional groups have an interest in protecting their status
and rights: social closure - This works for middle class positions because:
- Often specific education is required for entry into such jobs, e.g., being a doctor
- They can have their own monitoring agencies; self-regulation
- Only members of the profession are deemed qualified to do the job
16
Q
Social mobility
A
- Vertical mobility is upward or downward along the socio-
economic scale - Intragenerational mobility = changing class positions during
one’s own career - Intergenerational mobility = across generations
- Best indicator of social openness
17
Q
Class and lifestyle
A
- Consumption (lifestyle choices) has become more relevant in
identity formation or expression relative to class - Economic, cultural and social capital are all resources related to
class - Cultural taste is closely linked to cultural capital and habitus
18
Q
Cultural elite
A
do intellectual things others do not understand, avoid
luxury and challenge yourself instead, show creativity and originality
19
Q
Economic elite
A
do/own traditional things, stuff others cannot afford,
enjoy luxury
20
Q
Middle class
A
do what is affordable and not too complex
but distinguish yourself from working class (Bourdieu
called this attitude: cultural goodwill)
21
Q
Working class
A
little capital of any kind: make do with
few means (Bourdieu called this: the taste for
necessity), try to find cheap goods and entertainment,
more gender-stereotypical lifestyles / appearances
22
Q
Consumer society
A
People wish to express their most outstanding
characteristics through consumption
23
Q
n
A
24
Q
A
