Culture And Inequality by Michèle Lamont

Culture and Inequality introduces the various ways in which inequality shapes the identity and opportunities of Americans. The phenomenon of inequality is analyzed from the perspective of how groups are represented by the media and other cultural institutions; how Americans view differences between groups; how groups differ in their behavior, attitudes, and lifestyles; and how groups differ in the material and nonmaterial resources to which they have access. The uniqueness of Lamont and Small's approach is that they focus on the cultural dimensions of inequality that are generally neglected. Indeed, the field of stratification is generally organized around a structural perspective that emphasizes the unequal distribution of material resources.