Paper 1 Section A - Topic 8 = Social Class Identity

Who are the Upper Class? MACKINTOSH & MOONEY

Consists of a number of interlocking groups (not homogenous) - defined by it enormous wealth rather than the occupations of its members.

MACKINTOSH & MOONEY = SOCIAL CLOSURE - Key feature of the upper class is their invisibility, their education, leisure time and daily lives are separated from the rest of the population. Socialising with members mainly from their own social class. May send children to boarding schools and socialise in exclusive clubs and activities that are largely inaccessible to the majority. This maintains social closure.

Upper Class = Landowning aristocrats

‘Old’ titled families and large landowners - however power is decreasing as the new ‘super-rich’ are now much more significant.

Main values:

Tradition - Conservative in values and politics, wish to preserve historical traditions and customs of British society

Authority - Think society should be hierarchical - people show proper respect to those in positions of authority.

Breeding and Background - ‘Good’ background = someone having appropriate attitudes manners and values. Educated in top public schools and the most prestigious universities. This is where social contacts are made = good social capital.

Upper Class = Entrepreneurs - ROJEK

Gaining wealth from owning or running businesses. They are ‘self made’ rather than inheriting their wealth. Their values are centred on their work

ROJEK - The seriously wealthy individuals he studied valued work as a source of pleasure fun and excitement

Upper Class = Jet set

Those who have made their money in the fields of sport and entertainment. Including pop stars like Mick Jagger and Elton John who have also received knighthoods and mix with royalty.

Who are the Middle Class?

Seen as the majority of the population. Traditionally, it was associated with those in a professional or managerial career. Likely to have gone to university and own homes. However as access to this has spread and more people are self-employed but would be considered middle class.

Middle class = SAVAGE

SAVAGE = FOUR TYPES OF MIDDLE-CLASS IDENTITY

Professionals - e.g. doctors and lawyers - adopt an intellectual identity - from education. They value cultural assets like knowledge and qualifications - feel its important to pass this onto children. Such cultural capital is essential for the children in this class.

Managers in private businesses - success = standard of living and leisure pursuits. Aware their jobs are more insecure than professionals. Consequently make their children make the most out of their education in order to follow professional rather than managerial careers.

Self-employed owners if small businesses - Traditionally operated as individuals, however economic insecurity has lead to collective action such as the blockading of fuel depots by farmers and hauliers.

The entrepreneurial group - Working mainly in the city or media - identity is centred around the consumption of high and popular culture.

Highlights how varied the middle class is with different incomes, attitudes and lifestlyes.

Who are the Working Class? SKEGGS

Traditional elements of working class identity:

• Jobs based on manual and unskilled labour

• Traditional gender roles within the family

• Clear employment paths - boys encouraged to follow male role models career

• Strong communities

• Left-wing - strong links with the labour party and trade unions

• Immediate gratification - seen to live for the moment

• Cheaper housing

SKEGGS = Studied working class women who felt humiliated by the way they were judged by other professionals, due to their background. Women made a strenuous effort to show they were respectable.

Creation and Reinforcement of Social Class identities - Education = BOURDIEU and REAY

BOURDIEU = CULTURAL CAPITAL - referring to the knowledge, tastes, norms, values and skills that give a person advantages in life.

• typically associated with the middle class - passed down through generations

• Working class children experience a cultural deficit - realise that teachers attach little importance to their experiences they then often come into conflict with the school and loose interest with it.

REAY - Middle class mothers influence children’s schooling more than Working class mothers as they have more cultural and social capital. W.C mothers have less time to devote to schooling due to demands of balancing their work. Crucially they lacked confidence and understanding of the school system.

Creation and Reinforcement of Social Class identities - Peer Groups (+ Education) = WILLIS and BULLINGDON CLUB

WILLIS = Study of working class boys who saw themselves as school failures - but turned it round into being a good thing. They spent their time messing about as they knew they would get jobs in the local factory - where there dads work. He did a follow up study at the factory and found that their time in school had prepared them for the workplace perfectly as they found ways to entertain themselves and get one over on the supervisor of their jobs.

BULLINGDON CLUB - Exclusive but all male student club based in Oxford university. Noted for its wealthy members, boisterous rituals and destructive behaviour, such as trashing restaurants and students rooms. Former PM Boris Johnson was a part of this group.