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Social theory and the concept 'underclass'
Gesellschaftstheorie und das Konzept der "Unterklasse"
[collection article]
Corporate Editor
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziologie (DGS)
Abstract "The use of the concept 'underclass' has been the subject of considerable debate among scholars of urban poverty. Many question the meaning of the term and its value as a social category, and react critically to the way the term has been appropriated by those intellectuals and journalists whose ideo... view more
"The use of the concept 'underclass' has been the subject of considerable debate among scholars of urban poverty. Many question the meaning of the term and its value as a social category, and react critically to the way the term has been appropriated by those intellectuals and journalists whose ideological views and orientations strongly influence their perceptions of the urban poor (Hughes 1989; Aponte 1990; Katz 1993; Gans 1995; O'Connor 2001). However, in their critical commentary the scholars of urban poverty do not address, in theoretical terms, the scientific import of the concept 'underclass;' that is, its role in the description, explanation and prediction of social behavior. Rather they object to the way the term is used to label a subgroup of the urban poor whose cultural traits are thought to be different from those of the larger society. In this paper, the author considers whether a theoretically defined concept of underclass - as opposed to the nonsystematic and atheoretical usages - can be helpful in social scientific discourse. But first, by way of background, let him examine briefly the various ways the term 'underclass' has been used in published writings down through the years." (excerpt)... view less
Keywords
sociology; society; class society; social stratification; social inequality; poverty; cultural factors; segregation; lower class; social structure; town; research status; theory formation
Classification
Macrosociology, Analysis of Whole Societies
General Concepts, Major Hypotheses and Major Theories in the Social Sciences
General Sociology, Basic Research, General Concepts and History of Sociology, Sociological Theories
Method
descriptive study; basic research
Collection Title
Soziale Ungleichheit, kulturelle Unterschiede: Verhandlungen des 32. Kongresses der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie in München. Teilbd. 1 und 2
Editor
Rehberg, Karl-Siegbert
Conference
32. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie "Soziale Ungleichheit - kulturelle Unterschiede". München, 2004
Document language
English
Publication Year
2006
Publisher
Campus Verl.
City
Frankfurt am Main
Page/Pages
p. 90-104
ISBN
3-593-37887-6
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications