Projects / Programmes
Medijska potrošnja, razred in kulturna stratifikacija (Slovene)
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.06.03 |
Social sciences |
Political science |
Communication science |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.08 |
Social Sciences |
Media and communications |
Researchers (10)
Organisations (1)
Significance for science
Stratification studies in the field of social sciences and studies of cultural consumption and lifestyles under the umbrella of sociology of culture, media studies and cultural studies as two separate research traditions were completely unconnected for a long time. Stratification studies ignored the cultural turn in the social sciences and cultural refraction of the concept of class remained completely ignored or rejected. These studies traditionally emphasized occupation as the main aspect of inequality which led to marginalizing other aspects (such as gender, ethnicity and age) and contributed to the blindness of these studies for profound social changes in late capitalism that led to the cultural turn. Consequently, this led to marginalization of stratification research internationally as well as in Slovenia and to favouring sophisticated statistical methodologies without addressing the transformations of modern societies theoretically. In the field of sociology of culture and cultural and media studies the lack of sociological imagination and neglect of research tradition that dealt with social class led in the worst case to 'decorative' sociology. In our project both traditions are combined theoretically as well as in designing empirical operationalization of social inequality and interconnectedness of 'objective' and cultural aspects of inequality.
Significance for the country
Any discussion of class-divided (Slovenian) society today should in addition to the unequal distribution of economic capital also take into account the unequal distribution of cultural capital or "symbolic wealth." Especially in times of economic crisis and problematic representations of crisis and social differences in our media, it is misleading to reduce the issue of inequality to economic inequality only. Access to information, symbols and signs has become an important aspect of life opportunities. Epochal technological changes, globalization and new media demand answers to the questions of digital divide in society and of the role of technological communicative competence in the formation of social classes, which were presented by this project. We analyzed the alleged formation of service proletariat in social structuring and challenged the thesis of individualization of social differences and 'declassification' of cultural consumption. Slovenia is according to official statistics data the most egalitarian society in Europe in regards to income distribution. Even though there is for historical reasons a weak classification between classes and a little ritual differentiation between status groups in Slovenia, we find the existence of relatively pronounced symbolic distinctions that support, in the European context, small economic distinctions. Differences in values and political attitudes are in addition to differences in aesthetic taste, practices and competencies one of key distinctions, which indicate that liberalism and tolerance are integral part of the cultural capital of upper middle class.
Practical applicability of the project refers to a) determining the relationship between cultural and occupational-class distinctions and b) designing universal and national specific indicators of class structure of society that can be applied to specific problems of democracy and democratic culture, and decision-making in national policies, especially in the following fields: media policy and the policy of new media, cultural policy, social policy, education policy. In this respect the project has significance for the cultural development of Slovenia and the quality of life experienced by the widest possible groups of population.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
