Cultural stratification in the UK: Persistent gender and class differences in cultural voraciousness

Tally Katz-Gerro, Oriel Sullivan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper adds to the literature on cultural stratification by revisiting cultural voraciousness, nearly two decades after it was first introduced as a measure of cultural participation designed to capture inequalities in the pace and variety of cultural activities. Specifically, using the UK 2014–15 Time Use Survey, we compare measures of cultural voraciousness in the UK in 1998 and 2015, focussing in particular on the way cultural voraciousness is associated with both gender and class. We find continuity over time in the patterns of relationship between cultural voraciousness, gender and class, which are not explained by income or hours worked. While women at the bottom of the class scale are still the most disadvantaged in terms of unequal access to cultural participation, high level managerial women now equal equivalent men in their voracious cultural participation. We conclude that not only is cultural voraciousness still useful in depicting cultural inequalities delineated by gender and class, and not only do gender and class gaps in cultural voraciousness persist over time, but also that there is evidence for accentuated class inequality over time in cultural voraciousness among men and among women.

Original languageEnglish
Article number146954052211003
JournalJournal of Consumer Culture
Early online date15 May 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 May 2022

Keywords

  • Cultural voraciousness
  • class
  • cultural consumption
  • cultural stratification
  • gender
  • inequality

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Sustainable Consumption Institute

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