Sociology 230: Social Stratification

Reading Notes #1

[Answer the questions in part B].

I am starting class off with selections from two classics, W. Lloyd Warner's community study of Newburyport, Massachusetts ("Yankee City"), and Lipset and Bendix's study of social mobility.

[You do not have to provide answers for this section. These are provided to help you focus your reading on the important parts of the text.]

Lipset and Bendix

1. Introduction:

The authors begin with the assumption that every complex society has a hierarchy of prestige. Do you agree?

Definition of "social mobility" (1,6) "the process by which individuals move from one stratum of society to another"

Straining towards aristocracy in every stratified complex society (2)

Reasons why sm exists in every society.

What is the relationship between a society's internal mobility and the stability of its political regime?

It cannot be assumed that a high rate of mobility leads to satisfaction p. 5

2. Social Mobility in Industrial Societies

How do L&B measure mobility?

How does a changing occupational structure affect the observed level of mobility? (e.g., p. 57)

Elite mobility p. 38

Status mobility (marriage) p. 42, conclusion p. 47 "Apparently, Europeans maintain patterns of behavior…"

Is Warner's observation of concern over status the result of anxiety? P. 48?

Quote from Veblen on status seeking behavior p. 60-61

On p. 62, L&B argue that "in countries like the United States, where less emphasis is placed on class distinctions…a favorable self-evaluation requires fewer of the visible appurtences of status." Do you agree?

Quote from Schumpeter on social class: "each class resembles a hotel…always full, but always of different people" p. 75

3. Ideological Equalitarianism and Social Mobility in the United States

What is ideological equalitarianism?

Humble origins as a source of pride in the U.S., shame in Europe (p. 82)

[Dress of Mitterand & Clinton]

Equalitarianism of manners p. 80

Figure 3.1 (p.89)

4. Social Mobility and the American Business Elite

Why have some argued that elite mobility rose and then fell as industrialization progressed?

How was this research conducted? What are the strengths and weaknesses?

Figure 4.1

The rise of bureaucratic careers (Newcomer's conclusion, p. 141)

10. Social Mobility and Social Structure

Need to distinguish between actual rates of mobility and the prevailing beliefs about mobility (260)

Definition of social class as groups that recognize each other as "status equals" (p.275)

Baltzell's finding of a growing discrepancy between economic class and high social class (p.276)

[Directions: Outline or sketch out an answer to each of these reading questions. You can answer the question as if you were taking notes for yourself; you do not have to write a complete answer. Just provide enough to demonstrate that you have done the reading and thought about each of the questions. Class begins with the expectation that you are prepared to discuss each question. Turn in a photocopy of your reading questions at the start of class].

Yankee City

1. How does Warner identify social class in Yankee City?

2. Warner and associates conduct an anthropological study of class in Yankee City. Based on what you read, do you think their analysis is an apt characterization of the role of social class in American life?

Social Mobility in Industrial Society

3. What empirical evidence do L&B present on comparative levels of social mobility in industrial societies? Why do L&B think the evidence is surprising?

4. Ideological equalitarianism: L&B argue that despite similar levels of mobility, the belief in equal opportunity is much more widespread in the U.S. than in European countries. What do you make of this?

5. Do you find the evidence on the social mobility of the American business elite surprising? What do the authors conclude?

6. On page 273, L&B argue that "as the clear correlation between income and occupational prestige declines owing to rapid changes in relative income, men can often decide for themselves whether or not they will adopt the behavior patterns of one social class or those of another." In other words, social class becomes a sort of voluntary consumption community. Do you think this has happened in America?

7. L&B pose the question at the end (p. 285) of whether more social mobility is a good thing. What do you think?

General questions:

8. In your opinion, what is "status"?

9. How would you define social class?