Barozet, E. y Mac-Clure, O. 2014. Nombrar y Clasificar: Aproximación a una Epistemología de las Clases Sociales. Cinta moebio 51: 197-215

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Naming and classifying: an approach to the epistemology of social classes

Dra. Emmanuelle Barozet (ebarozet@uchile.cl) Departamento de Sociología, Universidad de Chile (Santiago, Chile)

Dr. Oscar Mac-Clure (oscar.macclure@gmail.com) Centro de Investigación Sociedad y Políticas, Universidad de Los Lagos (Santiago, Chile)

Abstract

In this paper, we provide an analysis about the relationship between expert and pragmatic categories used to name and categorize social space, from the point of view of the social hierarchies that structure it. Taking the case of Chile, and applying an experimental simulation methodology, we seek to contribute to the epistemological debate about the representations that individuals elaborate about social space, from a cognitive and interactionist perspective of everyday life. We analyse in particular the scope of the concept of social class as an element of expert description of social reality, but also as a categorization used by ordinary subjects. We argue that although classifications used by ordinary people to describe members of society are not consistent with the most common academic class schemes, they nevertheless share the same logic and ranking system, adding evaluative and normative elements to the cognitive distinction, in the social construction of reality.

Key words: epistemology, social class, categorization, social inequality, Chile