Bourdieu Social Inequality

Social inequality is a problematic phenomenon that occurs all around the world and affects both the developed and developing nations. It is defined as “the unequal distribution of social, political and economic resources within a social collective” (van Krieken et al. 2013, p. 205). Inequality is closely connected with social stratification, a system of social hierarchy that positions individuals and groups into categories according to social variables such as class or ethnicity (van Krieken et al. 2013, p. 485). This stratification has a significant impact on the opportunity that an individual may have to move up the hierarchy of inequality (Gill 2017a).

|inequality between gender and class and also, the extent of poverty in the current British context. I will also cover causes of |

The axis of inequality that will be focused throughout this paper is the social class. Social class is defined as a group of individuals who are categorized according to class (i.e. poor, middle, and upper) due to their income, wealth, power, and occupation. Social class is socially constructed by the way we view how much income and wealth a person possess (Ore, 20011a, 10). In reality it is much more than that. According to the text, poverty is not only the shortage of income, but it is the rejection of opportunities and choices that leads a person to a standard way of living (Ore, 2011a, 10). Stereotyping also contributes to it being socially constructed. These stereotypes influence us by defining who is who based on their principles in each class category. This can cause some to feel worthless.

When the resources in a society are distributed unevenly it leads to social inequality. Often inequality is understood as being socio-economic and it is now closely associated with social inequality. “Social inequalities are differences in income, resources, power and status within and between societies. Such inequalities are maintained by those in powerful positions via institutions and social processes.” (Warwick-Booth, 2013 p.2)

According Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes by Martin Marger, life chances includes “education, physical and mental health, residence and justice;” which are opportunities that we must procure through social resources (18). Our position within society determines our life chances; for children their parent’s positions within society determines the child’s social status within society. “Life chances are acquired, then, as a result of factors that are only partially in the control of individuals…people’s initial class position and, therefore, the dimensions of their opportunities and future prospects are essentially an “accident of birth.” Certainly, people may subsequently enhance their life chances through individual effort, but those of lower social origins will need to overcome many socially imposed handicaps to do so” (Marger, 19-20). It is completely possible for someone to shape their life chances through their own efforts however; this occurrence is rare which is the reason sociologists tend to focus on the typical pattern society follow. Looking at life chance opportunities such as health, justice, and education; people’s social resources are not only shaped through individual choices but mainly by group membership.

Social inequality stems from many facets of life and mindsets reproduced continuously in America. The main backbone of systematic inequality is formed off of race, gender and class, which all contain crucial aspects that further oppress those subjected to inequality in various aspects of life. The resources-schools, occupations, invested parents- around one fuels the opportunity in their lives, a concept highlighted by Malcom Gladwell, in his book, Outliers. Situations one are brought up in or uncontrollable genetic aspects can very easily restrain their opportunities. Racial discrimination, gender roles and inferiority and the lack of fluidity in the low and working class push inequality, which simultaneously influencing the rich and privileged.

This essay question asks to discuss some of the ways in which differences and inequalities persist over time. Thus demonstrating that they are not fixed, but forever changing, being caused in diverse ways by society. The essay will first define ‘Inequality’ and ‘Differences’. It will then use two strands, ‘Making Lives’ and ‘Ordering Lives’ to discuss how they persist and will look at some differences and inequalities within, wealth, homelessness, law, and class. Concluding the whole world is effected by continuing inequalities and differences, which is only getting worse.

There are certain people who think we create our own destiny in life. They believe that we are born as equals, and we shape and mold our future based upon our choices. Then, there are others who believe our destiny is predetermined before we are even born. They think that greatness or failure is beyond our grasp, that the life of a human is like a roadmap, and every destination is marked for our arrival. As much as I’d like to believe that everyone starts life with a clean slate, his or her chances of success as equal as everyone else’s, I don’t think there is true equality at birth. Children are born into impoverished families, who require their kids to stay home and work rather than get an education. There are kids who are born into families of abuse, neglect, and harsh words. In society, we do not begin life as equals. “Beyond the Beautiful Forevers” by Katherine Boo discusses inequality throughout the entire story. Weather it is Fatima the one leg, women, or the poor trash collectors of the slums, Katherine provides rich insight into a society that is riddled with corruption, where nothing is equivalent at all. By showing how people are born unequal, Katherine reveals the true theme of the book; inequality throughout society.

In the “Equality of Opportunity” section, Brian Barry gives a comprehensive account of what this concept means and ways our societal institutions fall short. Defining equality of opportunity as having the “same means as others to obtain something through an action within your power,” he explores its implications in the fields of education and health. Although I thought disparities in these fields were caused by material inequality – people with more wealth get higher quality goods – Barry shows that inequality has deeper roots in socioeconomic factors. Through discussion about how education and health perpetuate inequality, Barry presents ways in which the structure of society undermines equality of opportunity, which changes the way I think

To completely understand our changing society, we must look at the history of change we have gone through. To do this we must identify the changing factors of our society. This includes the age of our population; the roles gender has taken on, how race and ethnicity has affected our society, why and how social class works and the geographical location of people in Britain. In this report all these

“1]. How does social inequality impact people of different nationalities [ethnicities & races], classes, and genders in society.”

Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital has been extremely influential, and has garnered a great deal of literature, both theoretical and empirical. Like Marx, Bourdieu posited that capital was the foundation of social life and dictated people’s position within the social hierarchy (Bourdieu 1986). According to Bourdieu, the more capital one possesses, the more prestigious a position one occupies in social life (Bourdieu 1986). In addition to that, Bourdieu extended Marx’s idea of capital beyond the economic and into cultural symbolism (Bourdieu 1986). Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital that refers to the collection of symbolic elements (e.g. skills, tastes, clothing) one acquires through being part of a particular social niche and his concept of habitus that refers to the physical manifestation of cultural capital owned by individuals due to life experiences are his major influential concepts that are very useful in deconstructing power in development and social change processes. However it must be recognized that these concepts also propagate social inequalities at the same time. This essay will closely examine his concepts of capital that comes in three forms - embodied, objectified, and institutionalised, and habitus in the fields of education and stratification have made of it. Bourdieu’s work will be analysed in the context both of the debate on class inequalities in educational attainment and of class reproduction in advanced capitalist societies.

The video for my project1: Video/DVD analysis is about the social/individual inequality of our society, and it will be focused on Durkheim’s view. It is from the youtube.com, originally from Khan academy for health and medicine contents. The video is about the social/individual inequality in our society.

Having discussed the issue of inequality and its interrelationship with both discrimination and oppression, the essay will, at this point, focus on what factors actually influence these matters. Society, of course, holds a key role in promoting and not abolishing unfair treatments through constant marginalization, disloyal competition and social comparison. Socialisation is another process that influences the way we conduct ourselves towards certain groups of people and reinforces stereotypes – for instance, some raised in a religious environment that does not agree with or recognises homosexuality, might develop a prejudice against gay people. The “rules”, the norms and the values that shape us since childhood, set the background for social inequality and lead to a

In briefly evaluating the classical and modern explanations of social inequality, it is essential that we step outside the realm of our own lives, class position, and discard any assumptions we might have about the nature of inequality. This process of critical pedagogy allows us to view our world, not from our perspective, but from a wider, more critical analysis of inequality's nature. Also, it should be considered within this wider perspective that all theories of inequality have a class perspective, where the theorist, based on the position their theory takes, is making claims from (or for) a particular class (whether they want to or not). With this in mind, it seems that most of these theories come