From Class Consciousness to Culture, Action, and Social Organization

For much of the post war period in the United States, sociological research on class consciousness has tended to be limited to and by survey methods, with the result that class consciousness has been viewed as a static, individuated phenomenon, abstracted from social action and the context of class practices. However, in recent years a body of work has developed, often based upon the concept of class formation rather than the ideationally bound concept of class consciousness, that holds more promise. By drawing upon historical, ethnographic, and participant observation techniques, this work challenges conventional approaches and points toward promising new directions for future research. This article reviews recent examples of sociological research that has sought to ground consciousness in cultural practices, in collective action, and in forms of social organization.