Class and Identity

The first 200 words of this essay...

How does class influence identity in the contemporary society?

Class is a significant factor within the economic structure of our society. In this assignment, I intend to explore the influences class has on our identities within the world we live in. In considering different theories, I will examine the ways in which economic structure shape our identities and discuss how class helps to define us as to who we are.

Class is a term that is used to distinguish a group of people within society, who share the same economic status, which determined by their occupation and income. It is used to classify and represent us either as 'poor', such as, a single mothers in receiving state benefit. 'Working class', such as, building labourers, and 'middle class' such as, doctors or owners of small business. These representations of social class can be embraced or rejected by us, which suggests that our occupation and income influences our identity with relation to how we see ourselves and how we perceived by others. (Woodward, 2004, p.80) For example, a survey in early 1990s, where people on state benefit were interviewed, revealed that despite of their low income, they did not see