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CLASSISM

A Tutorial

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OBJECTIVE #10 Define classism and its’ dominant and subordinate groups.

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What is classism?

• System of oppression

• Dominant group = privilege – Valued

• Subordinate groups = disadvantage – Devalued

• Cultural Classism

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CLASSIST BELIEFS

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Individualism • (1a1) : a doctrine that the interests of the individual are

or ought to be ethically paramount; also : conduct guided by such a doctrine

• (b) : a theory maintaining the political and economic independence of the individual and stressing individual initiative, action, and interests

(Merriam-Webster)

• (1a) Belief in the primary importance of the individual

and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal;

• (2a) A doctrine advocating freedom from government regulation in the pursuit of a person's economic goals.

(Free Dictionary)

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Meritocracy

• "This mythology ... denies the role of personal connections, wealth, background, gender, race, or education in an individual's success," writes Alice Marwick, a professor at Fordham University. "If, for example, women (or people of color, or gay people) are not getting venture-capital funding at the same rate as men, the myth maintains, it is due to their lack of ability rather than institutional sexism. It also justifies immense wealth as the worthy spoils of the smartest and best.“

(Alice Marwick, professor at Fordham University as quoted in Hu, 2014)

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The Upperclass

• Wealthiest 1% holds 34% of national wealth • Wealthiest 20% hold 85% of total household wealth in

U.S. • .75% of adult population earn more than $1 million

annually • 400 billionaires in the U.S.

– More than 12 of them worth more than $10 billion

• Income of top 1% rose by more than 180 percent

(1979-2000) – Income of middle fifth of population grew by 12.4%

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The Middle Class

• White collar jobs

• Fringe benefits

• Assets

– Savings

– Investments

– Home ownership

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Class & U.S. Population

Upper

Middle

WorkingClass

Poor

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The Working Class

• Blue collar jobs – Unpleasant / dangerous

working conditions – Less job security – Higher unemployment

• Lower savings or assets

– Less likely to own home

• More likely to spend

more of income on housing

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Class & U.S. Population

Upper

Middle

WorkingClass

Poor

The Poor

• Minorities

• Women

• Children

• Low paying jobs

• Low skill jobs

• Few / no benefits

• Hourly wages

• U.S. Census (2009)

– 14.3% living in poverty

• Rates of poverty – Non-Hispanic Whites = 8.6

to 9.4%

– African Americans = 24.7 to 25.8%

– Hispanics = 23.2 to 25.3%

– Asians = 12.5% (no change)

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OBJECTIVE #11

Describe the relationship between class and violence, health/mental health, income/economics, employment, and housing

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Poverty & Health

• Higher rates of:

– infant mortality

– Eye and ear disease

– Arthritis

– Physical disability

– Diabetes

– Nutritional deficiency

– Respiratory disease

– Mental illness

– Heart disease

Lower levels of treatment for illness/disease

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Education, Recreation, & Training • Poverty decreases access to education, recreational activities,

and training

– Positive correlation SAT scores and family income

– Now and then

• 30 years ago, upper class children 2x likely to obtain training beyond high school and 4x likely to obtain a postgraduate degree

– Similar today, except…

• Getting into college has increased / completion has decreased

• Increased access to education/decreasing completion of degrees

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Housing

• Those in poverty more likely to live in areas high with environmental toxins

– Louisiana Cancer Ally

– Agriculture Street Landfill in New Orleans

• Southeastern State Study (GAO) – Blacks are majority in 3 of 4

communities built on landfills 10/20/2014 15

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NIMBY

• Suburban neighborhoods oppose low income housing

– “brings down the neighborhood”

– Lowers home values

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Gentrification

• Government funding to “revitalize” abandoned property or assets that have decreased in value

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Poverty & Employment

• More likely to be unemployed, or under employed

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Poverty & Violence

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

WitnessedViolence

PhysicalAssault

PhysicallyAbusive

Punishment

Sexual Assault

Less than $20,000

$20-50,000

More than $50,000

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Poverty & Violence

• Women with low income (less than $7,500) 7x higher risk of being a victim of interpersonal violence than those making $75,000 or more – Results in $727 million in lost wages annually

• Abused and neglected children achieve lower levels of education in adulthood

• Youths in urban areas are more likely to be arrested then those in suburban and rural areas – Police bias and increase violence in urban areas

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OBJECTIVE #10 Dissect four myths that perpetuate classism

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Four Myths of Classism

1. We are a classless society.

2. We are a middle class nation.

3. We are all getting richer!

4. We are all given an equal chance to succeed.

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OBJECTIVE #11

Contrast stereotypes in the media as they perpetuate attitudes about class.

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Class & the Media

• High status occupations

• Racialized jobs

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Class Stereotypes & the Media

• Upper Class

• Middle Class

• Working Class

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Stereotypes of the poor

• Functionally and/or morally inferior

• “kind of people” with set profile and values

• “White trash” – acceptable derogatory language to define the characteristics of poor Whites

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The poor do not exist in the media.

• The poor are faceless.

• The poor are undeserving.

• The poor are an eyesore.

• The poor are to blame.

• The poor are down on their luck. 10/20/2014 27 [click] [click] [click] [click] [click]

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OBJECTIVE #12

Discuss framing techniques as they shape attitudes and stereotypes about class.

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Framing Techniques & Classism

Upper Class

• Consensus framing

• Admiration framing

• Emulation framing

Middle Class

• Middle class values framing

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Framing Techniques & Classism

Working Class

• Caricature framing

Poor/Homeless

• Thematic framing

• Episodic framing

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References • American Psychological Association (2010). Violence and socioeconomic status. Retrieved from

http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-violence.pdf.

• Appleby, G. (2011). Culture, social class, and social identity development. In G.A. Appleby, E. Colon, and J. Hamilton (Eds.), Diversity, oppression, and social functioning (pp. 27 – 29). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

• Crouch, J., Hanson, R.F., Saunders, B.E., Kilpatrick, D.G., and Resnick, H.S. (2000). Income, race/ethnicity, and exposure to violence in youth: Results from a national survey of adolescents. Journal of Community Psychology, 28. Retrieved from http://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/Articles/77.pdf.

• EndAbuse (n.d.). Race and violence: What we know and what we need to learn. Retrieved from http://highestgoodconsulting.org/pdf/RaceIncomeViolence.pdf.

• Horwitt, D. (2008). This hard-earned money comes stuffed in their genes. In K.E. Rosenblum and T.M. Travis (5th ed.), The meaning of difference (pp. 153-155). New York: McGraw-Hill.

• Hu, E. (2014, February 17). How The Meritocracy Myth Affects Women In Technology. Retrived from http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/02/06/272646267/how-the-meritocracy-myth-affects-women-in-technology.

• Kendall, D. (2008). Framing class: media representations of wealth and poverty in America. In K.E. Rosenblum and T.M. Travis (5th ed.), The meaning of difference (pp. 138 – 143). New York: McGraw-Hill.

• Kottak, C.P. and Kozaitis, K.A. (2008). On being different: diversity and multiculturalism in the North American mainstream (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

• Mantsios, G. (2006). Class in America. In P.S. Rothenberg (Ed.), Race, class, and gender in the United States (pp. 182-195). New York: Worth.

• Mantsios, G. (2007). Media magic: making class invisible. In P.S. Rothenberg (Ed.), Race, class, and gender in the United States (pp. 636-644). New York: Worth.

• Parker, K. (2012). Yes the rick are different. Retrieved from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/08/27/yes-the-rich-are-different/.

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American Perceptions

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American Realities

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American Perceptions

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