This thesis reviews theories about migration, relocation and residential choice focusing on middle-class migrants as the target group within the Swedish context. I argue that middle-class migrants represent an increasing group of migrants within the European Union since the economic crisis of 2008. This time period has seen increased migrant fluxes mainly from Southern to Northern European states. The middle-class migrants have particularities that distinguish them from traditional mass migration. This study aims to learn more about their reasons to move to another country (in this study, Sweden) and their process of settlement (and integration) within the urban context in Stockholm) assessing which factors affect their residential choices. On the basis of qualitative methods, I assess the results of the research interviews of a convenient sample of 9 middle-class newcomers to Stockholm, with previous literature. Results of this study suggest that individual residential choices are related to socio-demographic variables, lifestyle, taste and previous personal experiences. Nevertheless, residential choices and the process of settlement and territorial integration are also limited due to the nature of the housing market, the institutional context, tenure choice, sources of information and economic constraints. In short, the middle-class immigrants represent a small group, which is heterogeneous in terms of culture, race, profession, level of education, country of origin, languages, that shows preference for diversity and the inner city. They do not show preference for co-ethnic or cultural concentration, neither tendency to segregation at the neighborhood scale.

This is an exploratory study with a purpose to gain an understanding of the middle class that is not situated in the cities in South Africa, whether this middle is served adequately in their areas. A population of middle class consumer who reside in the rural and small towns of South Africa and those who visit these areas was interviewed in in-depth face to face interviews. Expert interviews with retailers that they normally purchase from were also conducted. The study shows evidence of the middle class in the rural and small towns that goes out of their towns to source aspirational goods that are not available in their small towns. This class is aware of current styles and brands as they are exposed to media and they are influenced by those who live in the cities and also get exposure through their travels. It was also found that there is a number of the black middle class that currently resides in the cities however through their family ties in the rural and small town areas, they go back seasonally to be with their families and hence they expect to find the goods that they are accustomed to when they get there. The retailers had concerns with the size of the market in the rural and small towns, being small, however, this market does increase seasonally and models to serve a seasonal market are suggested. The research concludes that there is a middle class in the rural and small town areas of South Africa, this market grows seasonally and ways to service this market can be sought. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This thesis explores how women experience their friendships with other women. The aim is to investigate the experience of female friendship through a feminist perspective and what meaning these relationships have for the women involved. To critically discuss the role it plays in their everyday lives, how norms and different power structures such as gender and class affect how women create and experience female friendships. Qualitative and semi-structured interviews with seven women were utilised to analyse how friendships are experienced. The women are all white, middle-class, between 25 and 68 years old and they have been interviewed individually.  The thesis applies a phenomenological perspective and focus on the lived experience of friendship throughout both the data collection and the analysis. The thesis discusses how friendship is experienced in different stages of the participants lives, using theory about temporality and life schedules. Friendships are expected to be central relationships in some stages of our lives, but then expected to be subordinate to romantic relationships at other times. This affects the temporality of friendships, forcing it to be among our most flexible relationships. Drawing on theories of class, social and cultural capital this thesis also explores how friendship relates to surrounding power structures. These become central in the women’s understanding of who they can become friends with, how the friendship is organized, as well as the temporality of friendship. The thesis also discusses how negative friendships are experienced, and how women negotiate these relationships. How the temporality of friendship also allows for ways and strategies to end friendships.

The existence of Russian middle class is often perceived as a condition for Russia's democratization and the country's economic progress is often mentioned in connection with the growth of the middle class and henceforth increased popular demand for transparent functioning of public institutions. However economic growth does not necessarily lead to more extensive middle class, especially not when the income inequality rises as was the case of Russia in the particular period. This thesis proves that Russian middle class grew between the years 1998 and 2008, it identifies its specific features and explains its evolution from the perspective of occupation and income. The data from Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey, which the thesis is based on, confirm that while the Russian middle class was growing in size, growth in inequality was also observed, especially between cities and countryside and between individual economic sectors.

Magister Artium - MA / The black middle class of South Africa has been the subject of academic and media fascination since the democratisation of South Africa almost 30 years ago. However, this attention tends to portray a one-dimensional and homogenous image of the black middle class. The homogenising of this group often involves derogatory stereotypes and framing the group as shallow, and prone to especially excessive conspicuous consumption and vulgar displays of wealth and material possessions. Implicitly or overtly, the black middle class is therefore not seen as a bona fide middle class, i.e. entrepreneurial, zealous, dynamic and enterprising in demanding social recognition. Through the lens of food and food culture (which uses Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of class and capital distinction), this thesis undertakes a phenomenological exploration of a group that is not only heterogeneous but also very energetically rebuilding a sense of self and dignity in the face of power relations, racism and stereotypes linked to colonialism, apartheid and post-colonial politics. The findings of this thesis reveal that black middle-class South Africans are determined to (a) affirm their belonging in society, (b) confirm their class standing and access to capital, and, (c) establish their individual identities as well as an individualised group identity. In the face of continuing inequality, unequal power relations and tense social relations, this group has developed strategies to mitigate and navigate these challenges. This thesis identified two key strategies that are employed by black consumers both online and in the field: ‘eating without food’ and the ‘cultured palate’ (my terms). These two strategies empower practitioners to navigate foodscapes and social spaces as well as demonstrate their class belonging.

Class-making from a Bourdieusian perspective is an ongoing process based on cultural consumption connected with a specific class. Despite significant research on cultural consumption, little attention has been paid to the internal processes that can influence class-making. Previous research showed that the emerging cultural middle class is more prone than other classes to expect others to “look down on” their media practices. Based on various media and sociological theories, this thesis explored the relationships between the emerging cultural middle class, their media consumption and internal processes of stigma. Consequently, twenty qualitative in-depth interviews with the emerging cultural middle class were conducted that explored three research questions: how does the emerging cultural middle class describe their media practices, how they think about their media practices and what they believe others think of their practices and what are the imagined social origins of the stigmatization of their media practices. Results showed that the sample was digital cultural omnivores – consuming a range of media practices. Simultaneously, they were characterized by a self-reflexivity and self-criticism, implementing the self-stigma in the form of negative beliefs and thoughts about their media practices. The anticipated stigma was connected with practices that were “unproductive” (e.g. wasting time on social media), practices that the sample was not doing (e.g. not consuming the news) and taste-related practices (e.g. listening to jazz). Furthermore, three social origins of anticipated stigma were identified – based on generational distinctions, upper positions in the social space and other lifestyles. Summarizing, this study not only explored the media consumption of the emerging cultural middle class but also the presence of internal processes that influence cultural consumption and thus the process of class-making. By being anxious and self-reflexive regarding their media practices, they “maintained rank” and adapted to the logic of the “cultural” fields they aspired to enter.

The purpose of the study is to investigate high school students’ attitude towards masculinity, and whether the attitude differs depending on the students’ class background and gender. The study has been conducted through a quantitative method where paper surveys have been distributed to a school in Norrbotten county. The theoretical framework used in the study is two ideal types of masculinity that I have developed based on both Raewyn Connell’s understanding of the hegemonic masculinity positions and Lucas Gottzén’s description of the two positions that today dominate the hegemonic masculinity. In addition to these, previous research that concerns masculinity and school has also contributed to the construction of the ideal types. This study will name the ideal types as the older masculinity and the new masculinity. The older masculinity places a greater focus on manual work, the body and the distinction to the feminine. The new masculinity can adopt feminine-coded chores without risking losing masculinity. The result showed that class more rarely was a factor in relation to how the respondents related to masculinity, on the other hand, gender more often turned out to be a factor that explained how the respondents related to masculinity. Middle-class and working-class boys often had a common understanding and experience in relation to masculinity, on the other hand, working-class and middle-class girls’ understanding and experience of the importance of masculine traits in boys and girls differed. In several cases, working-class girls considered it more important to maintain a distinction between male and female than boys did, which in this study showed that they were involved in reproducing hegemonic masculinity.

What causes Black people in America to opt-out of voting in the American political process? Do racial or cultural markers play a part in their turning away from the political process? Do economic factors play a role? This question often raises ferocious arguments in America. Yet, there has been no thorough investigation of the motivations behind Black voting abstention. This dissertation seeks to fill that void by exploring why a sample of middle-class Philadelphians choose not to exercise their right to vote. Voter apathy, racial/communal interests, or other factors have historically been utilized to explain why individuals choose to sit on the periphery of the American political system. However, none of these studies examine the cultural factors that cause individuals of African descent to exercise abstention from voting. The purpose of this project is multi-fold: (a) to explore with a sample of Black nonvoters their reasons for not voting; (b) interrogate our current orientation that voting as a needed signifier for our existence, (c) to properly center Black nonpolitical engagement as a possible viable avenue for African-descended people in our pursuit of creating a milieu of resistance and liberation, (d) to help normalize nonvoting practices as valid and acceptable methods of Black political engagement within Africana Studies, the Academy, and the Africana community; and (e) to push back against the dominant discourse that voting is the only viable option for progress for African-descended people in America. This work explores the idea that abstaining from voting, which has been a source of shame and contention within the Black community, may serve as a practical and useful tool in resistance and liberatory fashion for our people. This study seeks to conceptualize and link Black nonparticipatory politics as a form of Political Maroonage. The value of this project is that it should add the academic discourse of the Black nonvoter’s critique of the American political process and add clarity to the politicians who are seeking these individuals’ support for political office. / African American Studies

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地域研究) / 甲第24722号 / 地博第314号 / 新制||地||121(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科東南アジア地域研究専攻 / (主査)教授 片岡 樹, 教授 玉田 芳史, 教授 速水 洋子, 准教授 LOPEZ Mario Ivan / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Area Studies / Kyoto University / DGAM

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