The social scientific analysis of class is attracting renewed interest given the accentuation economic and inequalities throughout world. most widely validated measure class, Nuffield schema, developed in 1970s, was codified UK’s National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) places people one seven main classes according to their occupation employment status. This principally distinguishes between working routine or semi-routine occupations employed on a ‘labour contract’ hand,...

This ar ticle argues that in an age of knowing capitalism, sociologists have not adequately thought about the challenges posed to their expertise by proliferation `social' transactional data which are now routinely collected, processed and analysed a wide variety private public institutions. Drawing on British examples, we argue whereas over past 40 years championed innovative methodological resources, notably sample survey in-depth interviews, reasonably allowed them claim distinctive...

The aim of the article is to intervene in debates about digital and, particular, framings that imagine terms epochal shifts or as redefining life. Instead, drawing on recent developments methods, we explore lively, productive and performative qualities by attending specificities devices how they interact, sometimes compete, with older their capacity mobilize materialize social other relations. In doing so, our implications data for reassembling science methods what call apparatuses assemble...

Abstract Networks have recently become fashionable in social analysis but most of the new network approaches paid scant attention to long history reflections upon potential networks as an analytical device sciences. In this paper we chart developments networking thinking two disciplinary areas – and anthropology order highlight enduring difficulties problems with well its potential. The first half explores uses over past fifty years, situating theoretical methodological questions their...

ABSTRACT This paper takes stock of recent research on patterns cultural engagement in various European nations, with specific reference to British and Danish research. It argues that Bourdieu's original theorisation capital 'Distinction' needs be significantly updated register the decline 'highbrow' culture which these studies reveal. However, we argue this shift does not entail erosion itself, or rise 'cultural omnivore', so much as emergence a form 'cosmopolitan capital'. We emerging can...

Most quantitative research in social capital focuses on civic engagement formal organisations. Data informal networks are harder to obtain and there has also been insufficient means for investigating this. In this paper, we use the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) conceptualise measure three types of capital: neighbourhood attachment, network participation. The first two refer last networks. We gllamm (Generalized Linear Latent Mixed Models) construct latent variable scores from...

Google Trends reveals that at the time we were writing our article on ‘The Coming Crisis of Empirical Sociology’ in 2007 almost nobody was searching internet for ‘Big Data’. It only towards very end 2010 term began to register, just ahead an explosion interest from 2011 onwards. In this commentary take opportunity reflect back claims made original paper light more recent discussions about social scientific implications inundation digital data. Did paper, with its emphasis emergence of, what...

Preface and acknowledgements Introduction 1. 2005 to 1938: Lifting social groups out of the landscape. ART I: TECHNICAL IDENTITIES AND SOCIAL CHANGE 2. The British intellectual high-brow culture 3. 1954: challenge technical identity 4. 1950: resurgence gentlemanly expertise in post-war Britain. 5. 1962: moment sociology PART II: THE SCIENCE APPARATUS 6. 1956: end community: quest for English Middletown 7. 1951: interview melodrama mobility 8. 1941: sample survey modern rational nation III:...

This paper uses data gathered from an ESRC funded research project on social networks, capital and lifestyle to provide account of contemporary class identities derived 178 in-depth interviews carried out in the Manchester area between 1997 1999. We use this unpack ambivalent nature identities. argue that despite diversity sample, a number common elements characterize people's attitudes class. People are more hesitant placing themselves classes than they about talking as political issue....

Preface: Why we wrote this book 1. Are the Middle Classes Social Classes? 2. The Dynamics of Service Class Formation 3. Historical British 4. Contemporary Restructuring 5. Housing Market and Classes: Tenure Capital Accumulation 6. Culture, Consumption Lifestyle 7. Mobility Household 8. Regional Context Spatial 9. Political Change, Appendix 1: What is Analysis? 2: Socio-Economic Groups, 3: Research Bureau's Classification Occupations, Footnotes, References

Abstract This paper explores the potential of Bourdieu's approach to capital as a way understanding class dynamics in contemporary capitalism. Recent rethinking analysis has sought move beyond what Rosemary Crompton (1998 ) calls ‘employment aggregate approach’, one which involves categorizing people into groups according whether they have certain attributes (e.g. occupations). Instead, recent contributions by Pierre Bourdieu, Erik Wright, Aage Sorensen, and Charles Tilly concentrated on...

Optimal matching algorithms are used to model the transformation of career systems in a large British bank (Lloyds) from 1890 1970. The authors first breakdown traditional ascriptive, status-based system, and then identify more dynamic, achievement-based system as its replacement. By relating structure careers organizational growth social change, explore how modern achievement came about. More broadly, they argue that optimal enables one see clearly multiple time frames necessarily...

This paper seeks to contribute social capital research by linking measures of formal and informal forms mobility trajectories assessing their impact on trust. Drawing data from a recent national survey--Cultural Capital Social Exclusion (2003/2004)--we analyse civic engagement connections. The latter are obtained using, for the first time in study Britain, Lin's (2001) 'Position Generator' approach as means identify volume, range position individuals' contacts. pattern contacts suggests that...

This paper explores the distinctive features of critical agenda associated with ‘Social Life Methods’. I argue that although this perspective can be increasing interest, often scholars in Science and Technology Studies, to reflect on how methods become objects inquiry, it also needs rooted current crisis positivist methods. identify challenge for positivism terms decreasing ability its procedures effectively organize increasingly ‘lively’ sources standardized data, which now assembled using...