University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Class and the consumption of status symbols on the U of I campus

Norberg, Jennifer

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/1882

Description

Title
Class and the consumption of status symbols on the U of I campus
Author(s)
Norberg, Jennifer
Issue Date
2006-12-15
Keyword(s)
  • Fashion
  • Class
  • Social Status
Abstract
This project aims to answer the following questions: Do U of I students use consumer goods to display their socio-economic status? Do students manipulate their image with expensive clothing or accessories (jeans, purses, cell phones, shoes) to appear to belong to a higher status than their actual financial means? The author conducted 30 surveys and four interviews. The results show that status symbols might not be as important at all and instead point to some level of class invisibility. The author reflects on some sampling problems and the absence of major trends in the data collected. The project includes a proposal for continued research.
Type of Resource
text
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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/1882

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The university offers an extraordinary opportunity to study and document student communities, life, and culture. This collection includes research on the activities, clubs, and durable social networks that comprise sometimes the greater portion of the university experience for students.
Diversity on Campus/Equity and Access
This collection examines ways in which the U.S. university and the American college experience are affected by diversity, and difference. In particular, these student projects examine experiences of diversity on campus, including important contemporary social, cultural, and political debates on equity and access to university resources.