Our daily lives are governed, explained, and lived in accordance to the way we’re expected to behave and act by society. We organize ourselves based on socially accepted norms. We learn not to step out of line or cross the line of these norms. This “line” we learn to be cautious around is symbolic boundaries. Lamont and Molnar use the concept of symbolic boundaries to explain social inequalities and social hierarchy. Symbolic boundaries are conceptual differences or characteristics created to help society produce categories of organization (Lamont and Molnar 2002: 168). Symbolic boundaries, inherently, contribute to the formation of a collective identity. Collective identities are often based on some established difference between groups …show more content…
These income-based categories are ways of creating boundaries between each other and highlighting differences. We can see this emphasis of class through the consumption of products, such as attire, cars, houses etc. Class, however, often also aligns with the symbolic boundary of race. White workers will often associate blacks “with the poor and lack of work ethic, while black workers associate whites with middle class egotism” (Lamont and Molnar 2002: 175). Whites and blacks distinguish themselves from each other by making generalized claims about the other. A common example of racial boundaries can be observed in interracial marriages and relationships. While acceptance of interracial marriages and couples has generally increased, there are still many couples that encounter judgment and criticism for crossing the racial boundary in marriage and relationships. Gender is also a significant symbolic boundary. Simple examples include the segregation of restrooms based on gender, “gender-specific” or “gender-oriented” toys for boys and girls, or gender specific clothing for males and females. Symbolic boundaries are the basis for the creation of social boundaries. Social boundaries are “objectified forms of social differences manifested in unequal access to and …show more content…
Borderwork is the “process through which girls and boys neutralize or undermine a sense of gender as division and opposition” (Thorne 1993: 84). Symbolic boundaries are the differences that help society make sense of our world and our expected behavior. Essentially, borderwork is the crossing or enforcement of symbolic boundaries, in this case, specifically the boundary of gender. Gender boundaries were created and controlled by the children on the playground in Thorne’s study. The children separated themselves by gender. Girls would often play with other girls on the playground in their own spatially self-designated area, while boys would play with other boys in their own spots. Children would also reinforce these boundaries through the use of contests. Gender was often used as a defining characteristic in the creation of teams. Girls and boys were often pitted against each other with team names such as “Beastly Boys” and “Gossipy Girls” (Thorne 1993: 67). Another way children enforced the gender boundary on the playground was through chasing, invasions, and cooties. Girls and boys would break off into gender-structured teams. Boys would more often chase the girls than vice versa, but chasing, regardless of who chases whom, is a way of reinforcing the boundary of gender through the creation of teams. Invasions were also more popular from the boys than girls. Boys would encroach upon the