Unit 12: Erik Olin Wright on Class Structure (Monday, Nov. 25th)

Sociology 2R3: Theories of Class and Stratification


Erik Olin Wright constructed a structural class map that combined elements of Weber and Marx. He is much more empirically oriented than many of the other theorists we have considered in this course. Not surprisingly he was quite critical of Poulantzas, especially for his conception of the working class.

Weekly Schedule

Interactive World Wide Web Notes

Course Concept Map

Carl Cuneo, "Erik Olin Wright", pp. 118-122 in "Chapter 6, "Class Structure and Process", Peter Li and B. Singh Bolaria (eds.), Contemporary Sociology: Critical Perspectives, Toronto: Copp- Clark Pittman, 1993.

Ed Grabb, fragment on Wright (pp. 138-155) in Chapter 6, "Recent Perspectives on Social Inequality", in Theories of Social Inequality. 3rd ed. 1996.

Eric Olin Wright, Classes. London: Verso, 1985, especially Chapter 2, "Biography of a Concept" and Chapter 3, "General Framework for the Analysis of Class".