Explanation
Social class describes systems of social stratification in which individuals and groups occupy unequal positions within society based on wealth, income, occupation, education, and access to power.
Class positions influence:
- life chances,
- housing conditions,
- health outcomes,
- educational opportunities,
- consumption patterns,
- and social status.
Different sociological traditions define class in different ways:
- Karl Marx emphasized relationships to the means of production and class conflict between capitalists and workers.
- Max Weber highlighted market position, status, and power as distinct dimensions of stratification.
- Pierre Bourdieu emphasized cultural capital, habitus, and symbolic distinction.
In criminology, social class is important for understanding inequality, crime concentration, punishment, criminalization, and differential access to justice.
Theoretical Reference
Social class is associated with Marxism, Weberian sociology, Pierre Bourdieu, social stratification theory, and conflict theory.