summary: identifiy characteristics of the idea of 'class' in sociology, using primarily the United Kingdom and the United States as examples.
interesting: rather than exposing new methods or ideas, the lecturer challenged our current ideas and definitions, reducing them to their elements. I wake up to learning when the lineage of technical terms is traced; the term here "stratification," its earth science roots, and its usage as a sociological term, already exposes latent ideas about class. Layers of rock may intermingle at points, but for the most part are discrete. There are people that can doubtlessly be identified as a member of a certain class and be placed somewhere in the hierarchy. However, as rock strata form serially and permanently, social levels materialize almost instantly, out of order, and actively change in size. At the end of the lecture, I recognized the class is complicated, that it relies on a balance of many factors. On the topic of red neck culture compared to upper class British culture (rural land owner), the parallels were fascinating; I wonder, what are the differences? Scarcity? Do red necks have low status and British elites high because of the availbility of land in either location?
tie to major: as an English major, I noted his references to the differences in speech between social classes. The whole lecture could be generalized as a matter of semantics (what do people mean by 'class'), a discussion that all language specialists should feel a large responsibility for starting and encouraging. I think that most conflicts, political, philosophical, religious, etc, come from semantic problems. In other words, we could save a great deal of trouble if we took the time to stop and clearly define our terms, positions, problems. Especially in cultures that in a pinch encourage being polite at the cost of being less honest.
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interesting sightings (hearings?) on the subject these past few weeks: Gordon Brown in a speech says that the Tories wrote their campaign plans at the playing fields of Eton -- a suggestion that the class system is alive and well in the UK. The entire local press sneered at the remark; no one seems to want to admit that the class system is alive and well here. Perhaps that is what they mean by restoring "British identity." The recent report on "social mobility" points out that the gap between the richest and the poorest is wider than ever since before WW 2. (no surprise). But the solutions offered reckon back to Thatcherism: "level the playing field" (playing fields of Eton again; it's just a game) and decrease the gap between the poor and the middle class (but middle class has a negative connotation in Britain, so maybe they just want to dissolve it -- or adapt the US definition of middle class -- an economic one)
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I found it very interesting as well how those with lots of land who go hunting, live in the country, etc. are the upper elite in British society. And of course in the U.S. this could be tied into a "redneck's" daily activities. I am sure it has to do with the scarcity of land in the UK. I always forget what a tiny country the UK is especially in relation to the US because like the US they are such a world power and always a strong competitor in the global market. Being a sociology major there is one thing I have learned: class and deciphering what it is can be very complex and confusing!
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