Naslov
From occupational to existential class: How to analyze class structure in hybrid societies (The case of Serbia)

Autori
Cvetičanin, Predrag ; Tomić-Koludrović, Inga ; Petrić, Mirko ; Zdravković, Željka ; Leguina, Adrian

Izvornik
British journal of sociology (0007-1315) 72 (2021), 4; 946-973

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
class, multidimensional model of analysis, Bourdieu, hybrid societies, South-East Europe

Sažetak
In this article, we propose a model to analyze the class structure of hybrid post-socialist societies in South-East Europe (SEE), using the case of Serbia. We argue that, in such hybrid societies, social inequalities are generated by several mechanisms of similar strength: exploitative market mechanisms (based on economic capital) and different types of social closure mechanisms (based on political and social capital). Their influences are intertwined and cannot be analytically isolated or reduced to a common foundation. Therefore, occupational class analysis in these societies can have only limited explanatory power. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, we were forced to modify the instruments of several established approaches to class analysis. These modifications included (1) a reconceptualization of Bourdieusian notions of political, social, and cultural capital, (2) a different operationalization of social space, (3) identification of specific mechanisms of generating social inequalities, (4) paying attention to both practical and discursive classifications of lifestyles in the establishment of symbolic boundaries, and (5) relying on differential association analysis for identifying class boundaries. Our analysis's final result is a model that enables studying general social inequality, that is, generalized social advantage/disadvantage, in SEE post-socialist societies.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija

Napomena
This paper is based on the results of two
research projects: “Life-Strategies
and
Survival Strategies of Households and
Individuals in South-East
European Societies
in the Times of Crisis” (IZ73Z0_152626)
supported within the SCOPES program by
the Swiss National Science Foundation;
and “Closing the Gap Between Formal
and Informal Institutions in the Balkans”
supported by the European Union's Horizon
2020 research and innovation program
under Grant No 693537. The preparation
of this article was made possible by the
bilateral scientific collaboration project
“Developing a Multidimensional Model of
Researching Social Inequalities” (337-00-
205/
2019-09/
10), jointly funded by
the Ministry of Education, Science and
Technological Development of the Republic
of Serbia and the Ministry of Science and
Education of the Republic of Croatia.

POVEZANOST RADA