What’s in a Frame? Social Stratification and the North American Worldview The conclusion of Lawrence Ralph’s Renegade Dreams, begins with the tragic story of a Chicago teen’s murder. Like much of the rest of the ethnography, this story is illustrated through vivid prose in order for the reader to imagine the sounds and sights of the scene; the reader is placed in the middle of a pack of teens brandishing railroad ties as deadly weapons. Many, as the author predicts, will view the tale of Derrion’s death as a savage and senseless beating—others will further extrapolate that this is yet another example of violent gang retaliation. Ralph stresses that this particular portrayal of the scene comes from one’s worldview or frame and that there are
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In contemporary North America, people have been stratified based on their physical appearance and class status since the time of colonization (Robbins et al. 2017, 72). Current class divisions are seen as more fluid (190) than other types of categorization as one’s class can be ascribed at birth or achieved throughout their lives—some people are born rich whereas others are not. Class in North America does not only refer to the affluence of a person, but also their profession and livelihood, for example some professions such as medical professions are seen as higher class more worthwhile than professions that involve menial labour (ibid). Well-known Western ideals, such as the American Dream, assert that anyone can achieve wealth and affluence if they work hard enough but this is not necessarily the case due to systemic barriers. Due to this belief that only hard work and determination leads to a higher class status, often, the poor are seen as lazy and deserving of their own hardships (196). Those who live in poverty are blamed for their own misfortunes (ibid) instead of the unfair systems that are in place—systems that bar them from the same opportunities afforded to those of higher classes. The same thing can be said about race as visible minorities often have decreased access to the “tools, such as post-secondary education, training, or other resources, which are needed to “achieve” a higher class status,”
In contemporary North America, people have been stratified based on their physical appearance and class status since the time of colonization (Robbins et al. 2017, 72). Current class divisions are seen as more fluid (190) than other types of categorization as one’s class can be ascribed at birth or achieved throughout their lives—some people are born rich whereas others are not. Class in North America does not only refer to the affluence of a person, but also their profession and livelihood, for example some professions such as medical professions are seen as higher class more worthwhile than professions that involve menial labour (ibid). Well-known Western ideals, such as the American Dream, assert that anyone can achieve wealth and affluence if they work hard enough but this is not necessarily the case due to systemic barriers. Due to this belief that only hard work and determination leads to a higher class status, often, the poor are seen as lazy and deserving of their own hardships (196). Those who live in poverty are blamed for their own misfortunes (ibid) instead of the unfair systems that are in place—systems that bar them from the same opportunities afforded to those of higher classes. The same thing can be said about race as visible minorities often have decreased access to the “tools, such as post-secondary education, training, or other resources, which are needed to “achieve” a higher class status,”