To discuss ways in which class and ethnicity impact on children’s lives we must first of all define both terms. According to Walters (2012) ethnicity refers to a sense among a group of people with a shared culture, ancestry and decent which has either a national or regional origin. A focus on ethnicity also suggests a focus on cultural markers such as race, religion, language and shared customs; this is because cultural markers like these can give a sense of belonging to an individual by helping them express and identify with their ethnicity or a particular ethnic group. Like ethnicity, class is also an important aspect of someone’s identity and can provide a sense of belonging to an individual or a group of similar people. Class is a …show more content…
A class consists of a large group of people sharing similar economic, social and cultural capital within a society (classim.org, 2014). When discussing ethnicity and class it is important to consider whether a group or individual has chosen to identify with a specific ethnicity or class or whether it is something that has been ascribed to them. This is important as how someone is perceived may be different to how they perceive themselves (Walters, 2012). This essay will mainly use facts derived from statistics to explore the inequalities between ethnic and social groups, therefore it is important to remember that some people included in these statistics may have been associated with and categorised into ethnic and class groups in which they feel they do not belong . Children are born into ethnic and class groups, both of which have a significant impact on their lives and are therefore common frameworks in which to monitor and explore children’s education, health and future. Therefore, this essay shall be discussing the social inequalities associated with class and ethnicity