Collins: Status Groups & Subcultures

In my last entry, I began to discuss the effects gender and race had on an individual’s success in both education and the work place. According the Collins, everyone is part of what is called a status group. Status groups (or “subcultures”) give people a sense of identity with people with similar backgrounds, cultures, religions and so forth. The main core of said groups begins with family and friends but definitely goes beyond that. Status groups can extend to education, religion and ethnic communities. These groups tend to come together through common interests or similarities such as fashion, morals, language and even different sports, movies, art or media. Once someone finds their status group, they feel a sense of belonging and comfort with people they can relate to and be with. “Participation in such cultural groups gives individuals their fundamental sense of identity, especially in contrast with members of other associational groups in whose everyday culture they cannot participate comfortably” Collins states in Educational Stratification.

An example I found in society that would symbolize different Status Groups would be sports fans and their teams. Whether it be football, baseball or even hockey, fans gravitate towards one another. There are different jerseys, mascots and players that specific fans can relate to. If you’re a Yankee fan and your friend likes the Mets…chances are you aren’t going to be cheering for the same team. I see people teasing one another especially when your favorite team loses. People classify and relate to not only games but their teams as well.

Status groups tend to differentiate themselves from other groups by having different categories of what Collins calls moral evaluation. These moral evaluations can range from topics such as morals and honor to saying the right “lingo” or wearing the right clothes. If you don’t follow these “guidelines” in a group, you would not be considered normal for that status group.

Now you may ask where theses Status Groups even come from. Collins states that there are many sources but he gives us three…

1. Differences in life style resulting from economic situations

2. Differences in life style based on power positions

3. Differences in life style resulting from your cultural situation such as religion or ethnicity

A more serious example than mentioned above would be immigrants in the United States. Especially in the last 10 years, there has been a stereotype against (for example) Muslims. After the September 11^th attacks in 2011, many people in society judged this religion as a violent and terrorizing people when that is not the case at all. This would be an example of the third moral evaluation that life style is affected by your cultural situation. Muslims in schools and societies came together when whites, blacks and other religions looked and judged them with fear.

According to the article "Racism Against Muslims has Rocketed since 09/11" (http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=8271) Joseph Choonara states this exactly. He even goes to say that if you asked a child  to draw a picture of a terrorist, they will most likely draw a picture of a person with similar traits to someone of a Middle Eastern Muslim. After the attacks on the Twin Towers, terrorism was seen as something associated with that culture when that is not the case at all.

In the United States, there are many societies that are lower class and people are unable to better themselves based on their economic situation (as discussed in the previous blog). Most likely if you are financially unstable or poor, you are going to live in a poor community. An example of this may be the economic situation in Farmingville, New York. Many lower class men wait at local drug stores or even on corners, hoping a landscaping truck or any company will pick them up and hire them for the day to do any manual labor. These low class, poor men come together looking for work. Even if that means waiting at a corner for it.

　
This goes to show how big of an influence Status Groups and Subcultures have on both the work place and an individual's success. Some of us that are fortunate enough to have nice things, an education and a good job may not notice or realize how many people actually struggle to gain the things that others have everyday.