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LSE IQ podcast

Why do so many people mistakenly think they are working class? | Extra iQ

Feb 6, 2024
Professor Sam Friedman, a sociologist, discusses why many middle-class individuals in the UK mistakenly identify as working class. Topics explore the challenges faced by working-class individuals in elite occupations, the fluidity of class identity, and the nuances of social perceptions and privilege.
09:38

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Quick takeaways

  • Many individuals from middle-class backgrounds wrongly identify as working class due to family narratives.
  • Deflecting privilege influences individuals to downplay advantages, impacting reflections on socioeconomic status and navigating elite environments.

Deep dives

Subjective Class Identities and the Perception of Class

Many individuals globally tend to perceive themselves as middle class despite facing significant disadvantages. Research reveals that even individuals from solid middle-class backgrounds often identify as working class. This phenomenon extends beyond the UK, with a quarter of those from middle-class families seeing themselves as working class. Exploring family histories, some reach back generations to working-class struggles, shaping their identity narratives.

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