Class and Identity

Class and Identity

1. Working-Class

   • Sit below the middle-class and above the so-called 'underclass' It consists of blue-collar and (perhaps) white-collar workers
   • Mac an Ghaill (1994)
     • Noted that peer groups were often based around class, with the 'macho lads' group teaching 'hypermasculinity' through the '3 F's'
   • Karl Marx
     • Religion maintains class inequality, in that its concepts ensure individuals remain under control
   • Keddie (1973)
     • Found a strong relationship between a teacher's perceptions of a child and their social class Working-class children are less likely to be placed in top sets
   • Wilmott and Young (1974)
     • Working-class families value family life more than the career-oriented middle-class, as they gain less satisfaction from work
   • Glennon and Butsch (1982)
     • Middle-class families are over-represented in the media when compared to the working-class Middle-class families are portrayed as coping with problems more effectively, whilst working-class fathers were portrayed as comical

2. Bourdieu (1974)

   • Different classes have different levels of economic, cultural, and social capital, which parents pass on to their children: Cultural Capital: Linked to high culture, and distinct cultural taste Social Capital: Based on membership of, and access to, different groups Economic Capital: Refers to command over financial assets

3. White-Collar Identity

   • Braverman
     • White-collar workers: - Have much in common with the new working-class - Rarely mix with manual workers - Are often members of trade unions

4. Middle-Class

   • Sit below the upper-class though above the working-class It consists of professional, managerial, and (perhaps) white-collar workers
   • Savage
     • Professional middle-class identity: - Altruistic values - put service to society before financial reward - Value knowledge and qualifications - High cultural capital Managerial middle-class identity: - Often lack qualifications - Gain experience through working - Defines itself in terms of leisure pursuits and standards of living - Moderate in behaviour
   • Gray (1992)
     • Different classes use media differently Working-class families rely on TV as a topic of conversation, whilst middle-class families discourage their children from watching too much television
   • Bruce (1996)
     • Whilst women naturally tend to be more religious than men, the type of religion that appeals to them differs by class: Working-class women typically retain more passive beliefs such as astrology and fortune-telling, while middle-class women tend to follow beliefs centred on self-improvement such as Buddhism and self-healing
   • Feinstein (2003)
     • Says that a main factor behind middle-class achievement is the degree of parental support during education

5. Upper-Class

   • Sits above all classes, and consists of the aristocracy (old money) and super-rich (new money)
   • Mooney (2004)
     • Notes how the upper-class operate 'social closure', essentially separating their education, leisure time, and daily lives, from the rest of the population