class= a group who
share similar
economic and social
situation
working class
traditionally seen as
the majority of the
population
stereotypically seen as
"hard-working, straight-talking,
salt of the earth'
middle class
nowadays seen as the majority of
the population
stereotypically are
people with
professional or
managerial careers
views on class
feminism
gender inequality; women earn
less and gain less power than men
working class women perform
unpaid labour such as running a
household
marxism
conflict between social classes
caused by power
society benefits rich and
powerful; this would mean the
upper class is benefitted most
popular culture distracts the
lower classes from the class
inequality
Functionalism
society benefits everyone of all social classes
the class system and roles in classes are
needed to keep society running smoothly
studies on class
Mackintosh and mooney (2004) says upper
class has invisibility due to social closure
upper class seperate themselves from the 'visible' (middle-lower class)
this is through private education, exclusive clubs
and uncommonly known activities eg: the theatre
Age
the world is run by adults and it is mostly young
people and older people whose identities are the
most negatively affected
due to lack of status and power
age is looked at
chronologically
& in stages
the problem with looking at
stages is that the ages at
which they start and end vary
stages can be seen
as socially
constructed
views on age
Feminism
Women are judged by
factors such as age
Society favours young and
young-looking women over
aged women
Marxism
Ageist conflict is necessary
along togetherness
adults have the most power, children
are negatively treated in society; adults
benefit the most
Functionalism
Age has no matter on social
benfits
children and adults shall remain with different
treatment to benefit society
studies on age
Postman (1982) studied the
creation of the 'innocent child'
rise in adults shielding their children
from dangers when they are young,
such as sexuality and death
as media and tech. emerged and
spreads, the 'innocent child' is slowly
disappearing
Bradley (1996) says middle aged people
have more power and control over
people, as some are the leaders of
countries
Middle age has a higher status in society
than youth and old age
Ethnicity
ethnicity relates to the sharing of
similar socialisation and cluture
within a group of people in an area
it is a combination of
responding to our environment
and passing info down via
GENES
tropical & temperate
climates
hybrid identities
hybrid identity=
somesone's sense of
who they are is a
mixture of 2 or more
influences
eg: A person
may identify as
British, but also
Muslim and
Pakistani
this can be seen
most clearly within
electricity,
nationality and
identitty
national identities
national identity= (in a wider context)
the identity of a whole country
national identity individually is often expressed
through supporting your national team
Marxism
conflict between people due to
ethnicity is needed; when there is
equality
the ideal ethnicity, which in most
western countries is white people,
would be given more benefits by
society
labelling theory
western cultures may label those
with an ethnicity they "disagree with"
these labels can be counted as
racial slurs, and can be
derogatory towards theior entire
ethnicity
impression management
in communities of multiple ethnicities, many
would keep to themselves
if their community has a
dominating ethnicity, they
would act more as their true
selves
hewitt (2005) studied the
negative perception of
multiculturalism
attempts of ethnic equality had been
met with anger from the white
community, who view it as "unfair"
white working-class people
specifically were noted to defend their
ethnicity from ethnic minorities
Winston James (1993)
Experience of racism unified identites
of African-Caribbeans
their unified cukture adopted
the label "black" to prevent
racism in the UK
Gender
gender= something fluid and changing
gender has changed over time much to
the approval and disapproval to others
femiinists
gender equality does not
exists because society is
patriarchal
secondary socialisation can bw
harmful to women eg: cause
body image issues
marxists
popular and mass culture distract
society from gender inequality
conflict theory; gender inequalty is necessary
society benefits those with power
partriarchal society
some argue that gender is based on
biological differences between male
and female
however most sociologists argue that it
is socially constructed
labelling theory
gender roles are to be allowed
rejecting such roles (deviance)
can allow negative labelling for
both males and females
labels could link to such aspects of one,
such as their abilities or sexuality (eg: a
man may get negatively labelled as
"gay" if he is said to enjoy traditionally
feminine activities
masculinity (two
types)
agressive masculinity
hegemory masculinity
socially desirable middle class
Functionalism
society benefits everyone in
different ways, no matter their
gender
Gender roles are vital in society; they
ensure that society run smoothly and
at its best
studies on gender
Parsons (1995) DATED
females have an expressive role in family:
natural but reinforced by socialisation
males have an instrumental role in
family; natural but reinforced by
socialisation
mac an ghaill (1994) DATED
focuses on hyper-masculinity among males (aggresive)
sexuality
with other spects of identity, it tends to be more
significant for those who are not heterosexual
sexualtiy is a label given
due to who on a category of
gender, one would find
sexually or romatically
attractive
feminism
heteronormativity is still the 'norm'
women are
sexualised for men
in the media
porno and prostitution
linked to Domestic
violence + rape in
society
Marxism
society is distracted by
popular culture; distracts
from issues with
non-heterosexual individuals
conflict theory;
heteronormativity versus
diverse sexual orientations
Functionalism
roles ensure society running smoothly; this
can include the role of heteronormativity
traditional nuclear
family (one mum, one
dad) is believed to be
best
labeling theory
due to heteronormality, people who are 'out' as
non-heterosexual are given the label of their
orientation
this can be seen as a negative label and can
become their master status
they would only be
recognised as their sexuality
studies on gender
Weeks (1991) argues that
sexual identification is a
strange thing and more
complex than other
aspects of identity
Rich (1980) says
women's sexuality is
oppressed by the
patiarchy (males)
lesbian identity is
erased; it is seen
as a threat to
males or 'sexy'
women took part in 'compulsory
heterosexuality; they are socialised
into a heterosexual role for men
Mcintoshe (1996)
a song about sexuality is
Girls/Girls/Boys by Panic! At The
Disco. duh.