La percezione dello status occupazionale:il caso svedese : Perceptions of Occupational Status – the Swedish case

• The sociology of occupations since its classical period has been related more or less closely to studies of class and status. This paper depicts some of these issues from a case study of Sweden. Data are based on a national survey distributed in 2002 among the Swedish population age 16-74 (sample 3000), where 100 occupations were included for independent assessments of their status in general in society on a nine-point scale. The constructed rank order of occupations demonstrates a well known range of ascribed status from dishwasher to physician – legitimizing the distribution of resources and privileges, and with only minor differences of means between groups of respondents. However, some interesting class, gender and age differences remain – sometimes hidden by mean of means. Income is the main explanation behind status with a subjective as well as an objective indicator. Other significant subjective explanations are career, skill, autonomy, responsibility, honesty and moral, and influence. An alternative rank order is constructed on the status the occupations ought to have according to individual perceptions separated from collective perceptions. Occupations in education, health and care were especially upgraded, and in particular by women. There is great potential for social equality, impeded by strong reproduction of common perceptions of occupations and their status ranking. The paper is finished by comparing the data from year 2002 with data from a Swedish survey in 1958 and an American in 1989.

Nyckelord

perceptions

occupations

status

class

gender

age

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art (ämneskategori)