The Subjective Dimension of Social Stratification: The Case of the Self-Identification Question

During recent years we have witnessed a regrowth of interest in the subjective dimension of sociological analysis, and particularly in the relevant ideas of Weber and the symbolic interactionists. This has been reflected in the writings of phenomenologically-informed sociologists such as Schutz, Berger and Luckmann and Holzner. Empirically, the areas of deviance and religion have profited most, while other fields, such as organizational theory and education are also being investigated with a more explicit emphasis on subjective factors.¹ The field of social stratification, however, appears to have been neglected in this regard. It is my purpose to consider what is meant by 'the subjective dimension of sociological analysis', especially as it applies to research on social stratification. The use of 'self-identification' questions in empirical research will be discussed, using some Australian examples, in order to highlight some of the major problems in the use of subjective factors in otherwise objectively-oriented studies.