Karl Marx's Analysis Of Social Class

Essay Prompt 3:
Marx’s analysis of social class is that there will always be a divide between the haves and the have not’s. He separates them into two classes the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie signifies the capitalist class, while proletariat signifies the working class. Max Weber’s defines class as “a group of people who have a similar level of economic resources”(p.244). He identifies two main elements of class, material resources, and skill knowledge in the marketplace. In contrast to Marx’s view on class Weber believed that class was not just based solely on ownership of means of production, but could also be based off ownership of other resources and the amount knowledge one has. Pierre Bourdieu’s view on class is that it is based on the concept of cultural capital meaning, “our tastes, knowledge, attitudes, language, and ways of thinking that we exchange in interaction with others”

(p.245). This term meaning that those of different classes will hold different types of cultural capital. In my view I feel that Weber provides the more complete and convincing perspective on stratification. I think this because his view is more about power through not only ownership of production but also through knowledge.
Word Count: 198
Essay Prompt 4:
According to Witt (2015) sex is defined as “the biological differences between males and females,” and gender is “the social and cultural significance that we attach to the biological differences of sex” (p.292).

In simpler terms sex is the anatomy you are born with while gender is learned through socialization. To say that gender is socially constructed means that because you are born a certain sex you have to act a certain way. For example there are many socially constructed gender roles that males and females both follow. One example of this is how males are given toys that represent weapons to play with while females are given baby dolls and play kitchens. In my view I feel that sex is most central to the identity of an individual because if you are born male or female you are going identify with that sex which then leads to the social construction of gender. An example of an in-group I know I belong to is an athlete. Being an athlete my concept of gender and gender roles have been impacted by the comparison of physical ability between males and

females.
Word Count: 192
Essay Prompt 5:
Contact hypothesis is defined by Witt (2015) as “the theory that in cooperative circumstances interracial contact between people of equal status will reduce prejudice” (p.330). I feel that this theory is plausible because with minority and majority groups working together they are able to create a better understanding of each other and where they come from. I feel that this would reduce not only prejudice but also discrimination, and stereotyping against others. In my personal experience I have found that through my interaction with members of different groups this theory to be true. One example that illustrates this theory in my life is through my interaction with Muslims. My cousin converted to Muslim after marrying her husband and through my interaction with him and his family and learning more about their religion I found my views had changed. A second example of this in my life is through my interaction with my brother in law who is black. Him being a part of my family I was able to better understand his culture, which in turn eliminated any prejudices I had about black people. A third example of this in my life is through my interaction with gay people. I think that simply by interacting with others that our different than you, your prejudice decreases and you find the stigmas about them to be untrue.
Word Count: 225