The American Perception of Class

Abstract

FIGURES 1.1 Unionization rates of industrial countries 1.2 Changes in the class structure of the U. S. labor force 3.1 Prestige score of selected occupations 4.1 Possible joint effects of class and status on class perceptions 4.2 Effects of supervisory authority and occupational prestige on class perceptions 4.3 Effects of mental labor and occupational prestige on class perceptions 4. A Status distribution among mental-labor managers and workers 5.1 One-dimensional representation of class image ratings 5.2 Two-dimensional representation of class image ratings 5.3 Two-dimensional representation of class image ratings: alternative titles 6.1 Strike involvement, 1880-1980 6.2 Trends in class self-placements, 1952-78 6.3 Class self-perceptions of birth cohorts, 1890-1954 6.4 Effects of birth cohort on class self-perceptions, 1890-1954 Xlll 10.3 Black-white differences in class self-placements 10.4 Changes in Black class placements 11.1 Effects of income on class perceptions of managers and workers ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis book will annoy many of the scholars in its field. Preliminary versions of our argument that we presented in conference papers and journal articles provoked immediate hostility. The consistent support of our friends has enabled us to continue our work despite these reactions. We owe them a great deal and hope that the final product meets their expectations.Several people worked with us on various parts of the research. Fred Pampel and Steve McNamee joined us in the early stages of the research that are reported in Chapter 4 and coauthored the first publications from the project. Steve has continued to provide assistance as we worked our way through several conceptual problems. Marcia Kirkpatrick helped direct the survey reported in Chapter 5. Benjamin To first developed the cross-national data reported in Chapter 6. Michelle Moore provided library research and Julie Wallace assisted with the references. Their contributions have made our work not only better but more enjoyable.Many people read part or all of the manuscript.

Race/Ethnicity and Beliefs about Wealth and Poverty*

“…There is a fairly extensive literature on the determinants and consequences of class consciousness and identification (Centers, 1949;Jackman and Jackman, 1983;Vanneman and Cannon, 1987), but comparatively little is known about the determinants of other ''stratification beliefs,'' such as why some people are poor and others are wealthy. Further, to the extent that research into these issues does exist, most has examined beliefs about poverty (Feagin, 1975;Hughes and Tuch, 1999;Hunt, 1996Hunt, , 2002Kluegel and Smith, 1986), homelessness (Lee, Jones, and Lewis, 1990), or welfare recipients (Gilens, 1999).…”

Can Class Analysis Be Salvaged?

“…22-31) suggest that somewhat greater consistency emerges when respondents are asked to sort detailed occupations into a preexisting aggregate classification.6 It is often argued that scholars should search long and hard for that underlying "strain of consistency and continuity"(Bott 1957, p. 17) running across this great diversity of popular images (see, esp.,Vanneman and Cannon 1987). Although the average class mapping is surely of interest, we ought not forget that individual-level variability around this average is evidently substantial.…”

Encontrando lo que nunca estuvo perdido. Conciencia de clase y conflicto de clases en el régimen neoliberal chileno

“…Así, en términos de la investigación empírica, ambas perspectivas enfatizan distintas dimensiones de la conciencia de clase. Mientras que investigaciones cercanas a la perspectiva procesual han tendido a definir la conciencia de clase en términos de la autoidentificación que las personas hacen de su situación de clase (ver, por ejemplo, Lockwood, 1989Lockwood, [1958; Vanneman y Weber Cannon, 1987), aquellos estudios ligados al enfoque estructural han tratado la conciencia de clase fundamentalmente en términos de cómo los individuos de distintas clases sostienen diferentes intereses sociopolíticos en tanto expresión de sus intereses de clase (cf. Western, 1999;Wright, 1997).…”