Class is What Capitalism Makes of It

Challenging the Lure of ''Realism'' in Mainstream Class Analysis

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2370646
AutoresGuillaume Durou (0000-0001-9313-8874, University of Alberta, autor de correspondencia)
Año2020
Volumen46
Número2
Páginas207-223
Fecha de publicación2020-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCritical Sociology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0896-9205 • E-ISSN: 1569-1632
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0896920519830752
OpenAlexW2929645783
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas50

This article addresses polemically, perhaps, the most prominent class analyses today - the occupational and stratification approaches (OSAs) developed by various sociologists and economists. Strongly opposed to the 'big class' of conventional Weberian and Marxian typologies, the stratification and occupational models have, unsurprisingly, claimed more realistic grounds. By contrast, key dimensions of social relations such as domination, exploitation and oppression are purposely overlooked. Moreover, the lack of theorization - even marginally regarded, does not take into consideration the qualitative explanatory strength for the analysis of social structure. Alternatively, the underlying optimistic market-oriented belief of the 'realistic' class framework overestimates the role of institutions and economics. Thus, this 'Smithian' background unveils a market fetishism as well as a functionalist and naturalized vision of class structure

Capitalism · Class analysis · Economics · Epistemology · Mainstream · Neoclassical economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Realism · Sociology · Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies · Law · Philosophy · Social and Cultural Dynamics