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The End of a Traditional Class Distinction in Neoliberal Society: ‘White-collar’ and ‘Blue-collar’ Work and its Impact on Chilean Workers’ Class Consciousness.
- Source :
-
Critical Sociology (Sage Publications, Ltd.) . Mar2017, Vol. 43 Issue 2, p291-308. 18p. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- For several decades, the distinction between ‘white-collar’ (non-manual) and ‘blue-collar’ (manual) work occupied a central place in the analysis of working-class consciousness. According to many scholars, the expansion of non-manual employment was key to dismantling traditional working-class identities. Although several analysts noted the irrelevance of the white-collar/blue-collar distinction as a determinant of class consciousness, the most recent research on class in Chile continues on the traditional argument. However, the empirical research supporting such a contention has been scarce. In this paper I test that hypothesis. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, I show that the distinction between manual and non-manual labor does not lead to significant variations in workers’ class consciousness. Therefore, its use in recent research on class (e.g. the contention that non-manual employment reinforces a ‘middle-class’ consciousness among workers) is deemed questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *NEOLIBERALISM
*CONSCIOUSNESS
*WORKING class
*MANUAL labor
*HYPOTHESIS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 08969205
- Volume :
- 43
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Critical Sociology (Sage Publications, Ltd.)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 121638090
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920515585609