Snobbery

Description

There&;s a reason why accusations of snobbery have become so common in political discourse: simply put, nobody wants to be called a snob. It&;s a potent insult, one that&;s tough to deny and, more powerfully, one that plays right into the anti-elitist undercurrents that have quietly driven recent elections in the United States and Europe. But, as David Morgan&;s book shows, the power of the concept of snobbery is also indicative of larger societal issues, ones rooted in class divisions and wealth inequality. Snobbery traces the history of the term, drawing on a diverse set of literary and sociological sources to show how the accusation has been flung throughout the ages. Morgan explores the complex histories and different conceptions of snobbery to show us how ever-present concerns of class inequity have driven use of the term, something likely to continue as the gap between rich and poor widens. SNOBBERY Contents About the author Preface 1. Introduction: snobbery and why it matters What is snobbery? What is to follow Coda: am I a snob? 2. Snobberies of position Introduction Nostalgia and heritage Concluding remarks 3. Snobberies of possession Introduction: the Dave West story ‘Capitals’ and ‘distinction’ Snobbery at the ‘cutting edge’ Talking about Portia Conclusion 4. Varieties of snobbery Introduction Food, drink and bodies Intellectual and academic snobbery Place: the geography of snobbery Moving pictures and shifting snobberies Conclusion 5. Snobbery and social class Introduction Upper classes and elites At the bottom: the precariat In the middle Snobbery and class: symbols and practices Education, social mobility and snobbery The subtleties of snobbery Conclusion 6. Political and social dramas Introduction Case 1: David Mellor Case 2: Emily Thornberry Case 3: Brexit Case 4: the victory of Donald Trump Conclusion 7. Snobbery and everyday life Introduction Sociology as snobbery? Everyday life The question of inverted snobbery Other divisions Ethical concerns Concluding remarks