Amphibische Klassen

Abstract Despite the possibility of clearly defining social classes on the basis of economic criteria, ambivalent relationships occur time and again in concrete social constellations. Classes in such an intermediate relationship can be characterised as “amphibious”. A considerable proportion of the working class also exhibits such “amphibious” characteristics due to the effects of historical and current differentiation processes. The phenomenon is further entrenched by the education system, thereby explaining why people who have ascended through the educational system often develop ambivalent feelings about their milieus of origin. It is argued here that an analysis based on classes has more transformative potential than theories focusing on the trespassing of class boundaries.