History, diversity, and social class mmm

2. History, diversity, and social class (1).pptx

1. HISTORY, DIVERSITY, AND SOCIAL CLASS Nada Marhamah, MSSc, KBPA

2. Social Class 01 02 03 TABLE OF CONTENTS Families in their Social Classes Tutorial 04 Debate (Consensus vs Conflict)

3. Social Class 01

4. Let’s compare. Donald J. Trump Jr. is the oldest son of the billionaire real estate developer, reality TV star, and president whose name he bears. Like his father, he attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and got an undergraduate degree in economics. And then—after a year off, in which he says he “lived as a vagabond”— Don Jr. started his first job out of college: executive vice president of development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization. That is the same job title later held by two of his younger siblings, Ivanka and Eric (Washington Post 2016). The man who would become President Trump inherited the real estate business from his father, Fred Trump, and eventually the empire will pass to his children. Although Don Jr. at first avoided the spotlight, because he didn’t want to seem like “just Donald Trump’s son, some little rich kid running around,” he eventually embraced his place in the family business. “When I started working,” he recalled, “I realized that there’s an end goal, that I can use some of this. [Staying in the background] would be like having an advantage and not taking advantage of it. That’s called stupid” (Williams 2006). By age 38, his personal net worth was estimated at $150 million, but it may ultimately be much more, if he inherits a share of his father’s estimated $3.7 billion (Bankrate 2016; Wang 2016).

5. Let’s compare. Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, 1856, in Smiljan, Croatia, which was part of the Austrian Empire at the time. His family wasn't wealthy, and they lived in a small rural village. Tesla's father was a Serbian Orthodox priest, and his mother managed the household. He grew up to be a brilliant but financially struggling inventor. He then, crossed paths with influential financiers JP Morgan and Thomas Edison. Tesla's revolutionary work on alternating current (AC) electricity threatened Edison's direct current (DC) monopoly, which was favored by wealthy elites. Morgan initially supported Tesla's grand vision of the Wardenclyffe Tower, aiming to provide free wireless power and communication to the world's poor. However, as the project's costs grew, Morgan's interests shifted away from Tesla's altruistic goals, and he withdrew funding. This left Tesla, a champion of progress for all, struggling to realize his vision. Edison, who saw AC as a threat to his wealth, lured Tesla into enhancing his DC generators with promises of financial reward. Yet, Tesla's innovative improvements were exploited, and the rewards never materialized.

6. Reading about Don Jr. and Nikola Tesla, what conclusion can you made from the stories?

7. Theories of Social Class

8. The social process of determining who does what work and for what rewards Some jobs are more important and more difficult to do than others Consensus perspective sees some jobs are more important and more difficult to do than others. Society therefore needs a way to find and train the most talented people for these jobs and motivate them to perform well. (Think of surgeons or airplane pilots.) Conflict theorists see inequality as the result of economic exploitation, the process by which the labor of some produces wealth that is controlled by others. Division of Labour

9. Karl Marx: Marx is perhaps one of the most well-known theorists when it comes to the concept of social class. He believed that social class is determined by an individual's relationship to the means of production. He identified two main classes: the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (workers who sell their labor). Marx's work laid the foundation for analyzing class conflict and exploitation within capitalist societies Marx’s Perspective

10. Class Hierarchy

11. Alam, Sazzadul . (2015). 'Elderly people' in Bangladesh: Vulnerabilities, laws and policies Draft Report. 10.13140/RG.2.2.30336.66568.

12. Which Class are you in?

13. Max Weber believed that the opportunity to succeed is crucial to the definition of class. Weber’s work (Weber 1946) is the source of the sociological concept of life chances . Life chances are the practical opportunity to achieve desired material conditions and personal experiences. Weber’s Perspective

14. Life chances are influenced by a variety of factors that can impact an individual's access to opportunities, resources, and overall well-being. Socioeconomic Background: An individual's family background, including their parents' education, occupation, and income, can significantly influence their life chances. Those born into wealthier families often have better access to quality education, healthcare, and other resources that enhance their opportunities for success. Education: Education plays a crucial role in determining life chances. Quality education can lead to better job prospects, higher earning potential, and improved social mobility. Access to education is influenced by factors like school funding, curriculum quality, and the availability of advanced educational opportunities. Life Chances

15. Wealth and Income: Financial resources, including inherited wealth and personal income, can shape an individual's life chances. Having the means to invest in education, start a business, or make other advantageous choices can significantly impact one's socioeconomic outcomes. Social Capital/ Social Networks: The relationships and networks an individual has can influence their access to opportunities. Connections to influential individuals or groups can provide job leads, mentorship, and valuable information about career paths and industries. Social Status and Identity: Social status, often associated with factors like race, ethnicity, gender, and religion, can affect how individuals are perceived and treated by society. Discrimination and bias can limit opportunities for certain groups, while privileged identities might open doors for others. Life Chances

16. Geographical Location: The region or country an individual lives in can impact their access to resources, job markets, and social services. Urban vs. rural environments and regional economic disparities can influence life chances. Healthcare and Health Status: Access to healthcare and overall health can impact an individual's ability to pursue education, work, and other opportunities. Health-related challenges can limit one's life chances. Technological Advancements : Technological access and skills are becoming increasingly important for job opportunities and participation in the modern economy. Those who lack access to technology or digital literacy may face barriers to success. Life Chances

17. Political and Legal Context: The political and legal systems in a society can shape life chances through policies related to education, social safety nets, labor rights, and more. Cultural Capital: Cultural knowledge, behaviors, and practices can impact an individual's ability to navigate social situations, make connections, and access certain opportunities. This concept was developed by Pierre Bourdieu. Life Chances

18. Andrew, from USA and Amir, from Malaysia, both wanted to pursue pre-med at Harvard Medical School. Let’s compare these two scenarios Andrew Amir Had a summer internship at a renowned hospital owned by mom’s friend Requested his supervisor to write a recommendation letter Parents hire tutor to help him write personal statement Has a great academic result Parents are Clerk and Admin Executive A malay man. Has an okay track of curricular activities because usually he will help out parents taking care little siblings after school Went to public school, requested teachers to write recommendation letters Has a great academic result Parents are Surgeon and Politician A white American Harvard Legacy Has 4-5 tuition classes afterschool Good track of extracurricular activities Attended public speaking class, and writing class

19. Who will be most likely to pass the Harvard application? Who have more life chances in this situation?

20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K5fbQ1-zps Privilege video

21. Families in Their Social Classes 02

22. Generations of Wealth and Privilege

23. This is a small slice of the American upper class. Showing their interconnections is important for understanding that this class is not just people with very high salaries and professional jobs, but a group of connected families full of people with high salaries and professional jobs. Substantial wealth passes from generation to generation, along with the lifestyle, education, and social connections of their extended networks, enjoyed in their big houses (and summerhomes ) and private schools for their children. When they marry, they usually marry endogamously , that is, within their group. Although not formally named, like the aristocracies of old Europe, this class still uses family ties to forge a cohesive social group. And unlike the poor or working class, this is a very exclusive group, membership in which is closely guarded Generational Wealth

24. Generations of Working Poverty

25. The struggles of the working poor—that is, people who often have jobs but are unable to achieve economic security or stability. College attendance is rare, while poverty, drug addiction, and public assistance are very common. Drug addiction, and alcoholism usually come from inability to regulate emotions and handling extreme stress In the three generations represented, there is little evidence of movement out of the working class What social capital they have doesn’t provide the needed resources for much improvement in life chances. Generations of Working Poverty

26. Family Networks Most families have connections only to those within the same class , and only a few marry across the tracks. These groups are not just at different levels from each other; rather, they occupy distinct social spaces, and the barriers between them are formidable —like the railroad tracks that separate city neighborhoods. The clearest example is marriage patterns, such as those in the extended families just described it.

27. Class Identity The awareness of, and sense of belonging to, a specific social class. When the barriers between classes are strong, class identity tends to be stronger as well, because it is reinforced by close contact among people belonging to a given class. On the other hand, when people flow easily between classes, the tendency to identify with their own class origins is weaker. The ability to move in between social classes can be called social mobility. The lower social mobility, the higher society’s class persistence .

28. People with lower incomes are less likely to marry. And people with less schooling have more children than those with higher levels of education and have a higher risk of divorce Combined with the forces that have increased economic inequality in recent decades, these trends mean that we now find children who live with married parents concentrated in higher-income families Those who live with a single parent (most often their mother) skewed toward the lower end of the income scale, often in poverty ( McLanahan and Percheski 2008). Single parents with children are much more likely to be poor than married couples with children. In fact, 30 percent of people in families headed by a single woman live below the official poverty line, compared with just 6 percent in married-couple families. Family Structure

29. Inheritance of property Sending children to private schools (class identity, influencing social capital) Socialisation into social class (marrying someone from their school, from work) Children from upper classes are learning the norms and values of elites through socialisation (increasing class identity, reducing class mobility) Children from upper classes are socialised to be able to use elaborated speech codes, more eloquent (will be most likely to get hired) Family teaches the children the ideology of capitalism Family help reproducing Inequality (Class Resistance)

30. —KARL MARX The Bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation to a mere money relation.” “

31. Consensus Perspective vs Conflict Perspective Do you think social class is a necessary or a hierarchy that needs to be abolished? Make two groups, and prepare your arguments, and let’s start the debate!

32. THANKS! DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?