Agenda Announcements Paper #3 due Dec 5 th Paper #4 due Dec 17 th Questions on Papers? Results from Midterm Evaluations Examples of Journal Entries Review and Discussion of Marx and Class Consciousness Review of Discussion of DeMott
Class Consciousness and Marx Elements of Class Consciousness Identity – an awareness of membership defined by a relation to production Opposition – a sense that this social identity creates common interests and a common fate that is not in line with the interests of the capitalist class Totality – disposition to take collective action in pursuit of these class interests
Class Consciousness and Marx Conditions that are necessary Concentration and communication Deprivation Economic insecurity Alienation at work Polarization Homogenization Organization and struggle
Class Consciousness and Marx What are the forces impeding class consciousness? Ideology – culture produced from a certain social location; ideas fitting people’s material interests Ideas are controlled by force Ideas are controlled by access to material resources Hegemony – the dominant or common sense view among all segments of society is actually the ideology of the dominant class Media – reproduces the viewpoint of dominant institutions and presents them as natural and obvious
DeMott and the “Imperial Middle” Argument: Social class is real and has significant consequences Culture (the media) masks class realities 3 story patterns that perpetuate the myth of classlessness Discovery Upending Renunciations The Omni Syndrome Social distance is unreal
Review Paper 3 due Dec 5 th Class consciousness and Marx DeMott and the Imperial Middle