Rosemary Crompton

Class and Stratification

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Inequality in its many forms is becoming an ever greater problem in modern society. The revised edition of this popular book explains why it is so important to understand class and stratification, and how the tools used to analyse these divisions can help us to understand and confront problems of inequality.

This third edition of Class and Stratification has been extensively revised, expanded and updated, incorporating discussions of contemporary economic and social change. It includes discussions of political and economic neoliberalism and its impacts as well as developments in social theory, such as the emphasis on 'individualization' and the 'cultural turn'. New to this edition is a chapter focusing on 'cultural' approaches to class analysis, which together with established approaches are used to explore new developments in social mobility, educational opportunity, and social polarization.

The book will be essential reading for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students in the social sciences seeking to understand the changing face of social inequality. By highlighting the damage increasing inequality is causing to the social fabric, the book reveals the important part class continues to play in our lives today.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Wiley & Sons
• 3. Aufl.
• Seitenzahl: 304
• Erscheinungstermin: 1. Mai 2008
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 246mm x 172mm x 20mm
• Gewicht: 390g
• ISBN-13: 9780745638706
• ISBN-10: 0745638708
• Artikelnr.: 23878741

Autorenporträt

Rosemary Crompton, Professor of Sociology, City University, London

Inhaltsangabe

Contents
Introduction to the First Edition
Introduction to the Second Edition
Introduction to the Third Edition, and Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Setting the Scene
Individualisation, neoliberalism, and 'extreme capitalism'.
Summary of chapters
Chapter 2: Approaches to Class and Stratification Analysis
Introduction
Debating inequality
Theories of social differentiation
'Class', a multi-faceted concept
Social theory and social change
The wider critique of 'class analysis'
Action and structure, economy and culture
Chapter 3: Class Analysis: The Classic Inheritance and its Development in the 20th Century
Introduction
Marx
Weber
Class and sociology after the Second World War
The development of theoretically informed accounts of the 'class structure'
Class and history
The intertwining of structure and action, economy and culture
Class inequality and the 'cultural turn'
Social class, social geography and the turn to 'realism'
Conclusions
Chapter 4: Measuring the 'Class Structure'
Introduction
Occupations
Descriptive occupational and status hierarchies and the analysis of 'social classes'
Theoretical ('relational') class schemes: Wright
Theoretical ('relational') class schemes: Goldthorpe
The ONS-SEC
Conceptual basis of the ONS-SEC
Conclusions
Chapter 5: An untimely prediction of death and a timely renewal
Introduction
Changes in the structure of work and employment
The expansion of women's employment
Class, politics and action
Farewell to class societies?
Where do we go from here?
'New and revised' approaches
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Class and culture: the ethnography of class
Introduction
Social status, social hierarchies, and social citizenship
Bourdieu
The 'new middle classes'
The contemporary ethnography of the working class
Discussion and conclusions: a new synthesis?
Chapter 7: Families, Social Mobility and Educational Achievement
Introduction: Class and the family
Social mobility
Declining social mobility
Secondary and higher education in Britain
Explaining class differences in educational achievement
What is to be done?
Conclusions
Chapter 8: Widening inequalities and debates on 'class': discussion and conclusions
Introduction
From the 'underclass' debate to social exclusion
Widening inequality
Back to definitions: the approach developed in this book
The possibility of countervailing processes
Bibliography

Rezensionen

"Provides major insights into gender, class and stratification."
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

"The great strength of Crompton's book remains its commitment to providing a rounded analysis of both theoretical and empirical understanding of the continuing importance of class within contemporary society - together with the ability to present this in clear and accessible terms."
Journal of Social Policy

"A superb new edition from Crompton which will be perfect for students as well as the advanced reader. In new chapters on class and culture and families and mobility, Crompton powerfully demonstrates the importance of class and stratification to sociology as the sub-discipline continues to engage with big issues around structure and agency and economy and culture. Another best seller to be sure."
Fiona Devine, University of Manchester

"Rosemary Crompton's Class and Stratification has established itself as the standard source for stratification studies. It combines theoretical rigour with an authoritative overview of relevant and up-to-date research. The third edition has been completely revised to include extended discussions of the impact of Bourdieu in stratification studies and recent work on social mobility and education. It is virtually a new book and will be of immense value even to those who have read its previous versions."
John Scott, University of Essex
"Once again Rosemary Crompton has produced a brilliant synthesis. This third edition is the only textbook to range across both the traditional sociological debates on class, and the newer currents concerned the role of class in a neo-liberal environment. The overview of the extensive work influenced by Pierre Bourdieu is especially valuable." Mike Savage, University of Manchester

Acclaim for previous edition:

"A comprehensive and compelling account of central debates on class and stratification. It is a brave and successful attempt to make accessible the many debates which are conducted under the banner of social class."
Times Higher Education Supplement

"Rosemary Crompton's book is by far the best existing guide to the present state of class analysis, remarkably well informed about the details of the most important current controversies."
Work, Employment and Society

"A timely review of sociology's contribution to the explanation of social inequality. This book does an excellent job of setting out for students the central features of class analysis and its contribution to the study of inequality covering where it has been, where it is now, and where it might be going. It does so in an engaging manner and with a concern to recover a sense of meaning and purpose for both the insiders and outsiders of stratification analysis. It is bound to become a basic test for teaching in this area."
Sociology