Stratification: Residential Space, Lifestyle, Social Interaction, and Stratum Identification: Empirical Research on Social Stratification in Urban China

Abstract

With the data from the 2003 National General Social Survey (GSS2003), the present article focuses on discussing the consequences and influences of objective stratum positions in related social fields in urban China. Residential space, social interaction, lifestyle, and stratum identification constitute the four dimensions of the analysis. The basic conclusion of the article is: on the dimensions of residence, interaction, and identification, especially on both ends of the objective stratum structure, stratification is the primary trend, whereas the trend on the dimension of lifestyle is rather unclear. Lack of correspondence of the varying degrees exists on all four dimensions.