S ocial I nequality In every society, some people have a greater share of valued resources – money, property, education, health, and power – than others. These social resources can be divided into three forms of capital – economic capital in the form of material assets and income; cultural capital such as educational qualifications and status; and social capital in the form of networks of contacts and social associations (Bourdieu ). Often, these three forms of capital overlap and one can be converted into the other. For example, a person from a well-off How many hours a day do each of these persons spend at work ?
What kind of work do they do – in what ways is their work tiring, stressful, pleasant or unpleasant ? What kinds of relationship does it involve with other people – do they have to take orders, give orders, seek cooperation, enforce discipline…. ? Are they treated with respect by the people they have to deal with in their work, or do they themselves have to show respect for others ?
It may be that the poorest, and in some cases even the richest, person you know actually has no real ‘job’ or is currently ‘not working’. If this is so, do go ahead and find out about their daily routine anyway. But in addition, try to answer the following questions. Why is the person ‘unemployed’ ?
Has he/she been looking for work ? How is he/she supporting herself/himself ? In what ways are they affected by the fact of not having any work ? Is their lifestyle any different from when they were working ?