Stratification and Social Class - Mapping the class structure

4 important questions on Stratification and Social Class - Mapping the class structure

When sociologists try to operationalize class, they often choose occupation as the leading variable that determines one's class.
Can you explain why sociologists, although it is not perfect nor as true as it once was, often choose to look at occupation when they try to divide people in to classes?

Occupation plays an important part in determining a person's:
  • Social position.
  • Life chances.
  • Level of material comfort.

There are two broad forms of class schemes that are based on the occupational structure. One of which supports Durkheim's philosophy, the other is more in line with Weber and Marx.
Can you name the two forms?

  • Descriptive class schemes.
    • Durkheim's functionalism.
    • Doesn't address the relations between social classes.
  • Relational class schemes.
    • Marx & Weber.
    • More theoretically informed.
    • Concerned with explaining relations between social classes.

What is the name and abbreviation of the class scheme, made by British sociologist John Goldthorpe and colleagues, sometimes referred to as the Goldthorpe Class Schema?

  • EGP.
  • The Erikson-Goldthorpe-Portocarero Schema.
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In the EGP scheme of John Goldthorpe, there is no "class" category for an elite class of property-holders.
Can you explain why?

  • Only a very small segment of society.
  • Not meaningful enough (for Goldthorpe) to be a separate category in empirical studies.

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