Stratification Approaches to Class

The topic of social class, so much contested in the social sciences, raises complex issues of theory and research. Indeed, some discussions can be so arcane that the eyes soon glaze over. In these comments, I seek to avoid the scholastic trap of trying to specify any ’true ’ or ’essential ’ meaning of social class. Instead, I shall state as directly as I can how someone with an interest in social stratification approaches the study of class inequality. In my view, stratification is the more inclusive approach and can encompass many aspects of class analysis within its scope (e.g., Broom et al., 1980; Jones and Davis, 1986). Class analysis rarely reciprocates the compliment and is often dismissive of stratification research. The work of Wright and his colleagues constitutes a welcome exception (e.g., Wright and Martin, 1987). Elsewhere (Jones, 1973, 99) I have defined social stratification as the analysis of structured social inequalities, by which I mean socially con-structed patterns of inequality in life chances. Stratification implies the existence of enduring structures of unequal positions, with differentia