SOSC 103DSocial Inequality in HK

Lecture 6: Class Inequality

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Class Structure

Class Brief DescriptionService/

I Higher managerial & professional occupations

Upper-M

II Lower managerial & professional

III Intermediate (white collar) occupationsMiddle IV Small employers and own-account

workersV Lower-grade technicians, supervisors

Manual/

VI Skilled manual workers

Working

VII Semi-skilled to unskilled workers, agricultural

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Inequality and class

“ Class is not something that is simply produced economically. It is performed, marked, written on minds and bodies”

– Roberts, 2001:9

Dimensions of class: Skills and Qualification Job Nature Income and Wealth Job Satisfaction Employment opportunity/ security

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Class inequality Inequality in Health and Life

Expectancy Inequality in Family Structure &

Composition Inequality in Children’s Education

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Education opportunities

貧童遊行要求 15年免費教育 (明報 ) 02 月 20日

40多家境貧困的學童及家長，昨日到禮賓府向特首拜年，要求政府推行 15年免費教育及增加學生資助及綜援學習津貼。

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Class inequality (cont’) Inequality in Time-Use Inequality in Leisure

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Class inequality (cont’) Inequality in Housing Inequality in Consumption

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Class differences in everyday consumption

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Time Square

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Class-stratified consumption

Distinction of everyday life consumption

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Alcohol & Social Class

The hierarchy of drinks (Ma Kit-Wai)

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Daily practice of class distinction

There is a hierarchy of consumption/ products

Attach with taste Attach with class identity Maintain the distinctiveness Conscious use of taste consumption to

reinforce class style

Consumption reflects and builds up class identity

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Distinction of Residence

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Readings:

Argyle, Michael (1994) “Work, leisure and lifestyle” in The Psychology of Social Class, Ch. 5

Optional Readings (for your interests): Ma, K.W. (2001) “The hierarchy of drinks: Alcohol and

social class in Hong Kong” in G. Mathews and Lui, T.L. (eds) Consuming Hong Kong, pp.117-139

Ng, C.H. (1995) “Consumption and the Hong Kong way of life” in Lau, S.K. et al (eds) Indicators of Social development: Hong Kong 1993, pp.334-365.