Consumption as a Social Stratification Mechanism

This book describes a study of consumption as a stratifying mechanism in the Israeli society and its association with other social stratification axes. The study introduces a model of social change that describes this association and the way it has changed over time. The model integrates the analysis of several social forces and describes their changing significance over time. The study introduce a new framework that differentiates between different variations of consumption patterns, using both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study s results indicate that Israeli consumption both reflects already existing social differences and generates new distinctions. Current consumption, according to these findings, is both an outcome of other stratifying forces and a stratifying mechanism and a source of new stratification structures.

Autorentext

Sharon Raz, PhD: Sociology, University of Haifa.