Culture and Identity EPs

• Outline and explain two reasons why consumption may be affected by social class. (10 marks) - Income disparities

  - Bauman: Repressed consumers (e.g. working class) lack the means to buy anything they want, whilst seduced consumers (e.g. upper class) can do so

  - Richer people can display their wealth through expensive purchases as they have larger disposable income

  
  

  Poorer people may have to work longer hours to grant an income which helps them afford expensive goods, cutting down the amount of leisure time they have
• Outline and explain two reasons why consumption may be affected by social class. (10 marks) - Capital disparities

  - Lack of cultural and social capital amongst lower classes compared to upper classes meaning they have less access to high culture products and consume more accessible means of culture (mass)

  - Those in the higher classes look down on mass culture as it's not exclusive and stick to high culture

  
  

  This creates a consumption barrier between the classes meaning that richer people will have more access to higher capital consumption whilst the lower classes can't pick and choose what they want to consume
• Outline and explain two ways in which social class may have become less important in shaping identities. (10 marks) - Hybrid identities

  - Pakulski and Waters: people 'pick n mix' aspects of their identities in postmodern society (e.g. mixing high and mass culture). This has been enabled by access to 'buy now, pay later' schemes which provide affordability

  - Globalisation increased cultural diversity

  
  

  Social class is no longer important because we now consume a global culture

  Identities are more fluid
• Outline and explain two ways in which social class may have become less important in shaping identities. (10 marks) - Decline of trad. W/C

  - Savage's 7 classes (e.g. technical M/C; trad. W/C)

  - Increase of jobs in the tertiary sector caused a shift into office jobs, leading to the decline

  
  

  People have become conflicted with what class they belong to

  The distinction between the W/C and M/C eroded
• Outline and explain two ways in which individuals may be socialised into national identities. (10 marks) - the education system

  - Lessons teaching British history, religion and literature, as well as respect for British values

  
  

  These promote a British identity from a young age, instilling pride in people for being British
• Outline and explain two ways in which individuals may be socialised into national identities. (10 marks) - the media


  - Mass media promotes symbols for British people to identify with, such as the Royal Family

  
  

  - Sporting achievements at events such as the Euros and Olympics instil national pride

  
  

  The country unites to be supportive, reinforcing British pride
• Outline and explain two ways that social identity is shaped by ethnicity. (10 marks) - primary socialisation (family)

  - Ghuman found that a key component of a strong Asian identity revolves around a collectivist family culture that stresses obedience, loyalty to and respect for elders

  
  

  - In many Asian families, parents arrange marriages for their children to people of similar backgrounds

  
  

  Even when children leave home, they regularly visits their parents and may even choose to live near them

  Children are socialised into a pattern of duty and loyalty to family
• Outline and explain two ways that social identity is shaped by ethnicity. (10 marks) - racism

  - Different experiences and responses depending on social context and ethnic group

  
  

  - The curriculum ignoring non-White/British identities creates disengagement from students of minority ethnic backgrounds

  
  

  Ignorance in school leads to poor grades and a higher percentage of deviant activity amongst minority students which negatively affects them later in life
• Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways an individual's identity may be affected by being labelled as disabled. (10 marks)

  
  

  'choices people make about their identities are constrained by how others see them and interpret their behaviour'

  AO2: Barnes: we are surrounded by messages that reinforce negative stereotypes about those with disabilities

  Longmore: disabled people tend to be represented as monsters, inhuman, evil, dependent on others or deviant

  Becker: disability becomes a 'master status'

  
  

  Link to Q: This affects how disabled people see themselves, causing them to lose confidence and self-restrict

  
  

  Ev: N/A so far
• Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways an individual's identity may be affected by being labelled as disabled. (10 marks)

  
  

  'they can also choose to reject how others see them'


  AO2: Participation in the Paralympics

  Being in relationships

  
  

  Link to Q: They break out of low expectations from the rest of society

  
  

  Ev: N/A so far
• Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which mass culture may prevent social change. (10 marks)

  
  

  'Mass culture is usually seen as commercially produced by businesses for profit'


  AO2: Adorno: products advertised are made for human desires, not necessities (e.g. fast food and fashion)

  False needs are created then exploited by big businesses

  
  

  Link to Q: The creators of these products make more profit, helping them to maintain their class rule

  
  

  Ev: N/A so far
• Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which mass culture may prevent social change. (10 marks)

  
  

  'Mass culture is also seen as oversimplified'


  AO2: Marcuse: 'one-dimensional man'

  Products are created in the masses, with no thought on their quality

  
  

  Link to Q: Consumers are kept in a false class consciousness, unwilling to challenge the inequalities of society

  
  

  Ev: Not everyone blindly consumes these products
• Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which an individual's sense of

  self may be affected by their sexuality. (10 marks)

  
  

  'individuals interpret their own experience'


  AO2: Strinati: sexuality is more fluid and hybrid (more choice over our identities)

  'Mosaic identities' - men cherry-pick elements of both masculine and feminine identities that appeal to them

  
  

  Link to Q: This means people become more comfortable in their own sexual identities

  
  

  Ev: N/A so far
• Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which an individual's sense of

  self may be affected by their sexuality. (10 marks)

  
  

  'it may also be affected by the expectations and reactions of the rest of the society they live in'


  AO2: Batchelor: the media is still heteronormative reducing gay men to caricatures and effeminate stereotypes, which plays into existing negative stereotypes

  Goffman: LGBT sexuality is viewed as a 'spoiled identity' as it goes against social norms

  
  

  Link to Q: People are made to be afraid of expressing their sexual identities due to fear of prejudice

  Straight people are seen as 'normal' so their sexuality goes unquestioned

  
  

  Ev: N/A so far