A new approach to teaching social class: Introducing the Edinburgh Open-Source Class Calculator

This paper introduces a digital tool for teaching social class concepts in introductory sociology, social stratification and social theory courses. The Edinburgh Open-Source Class Calculator is an interactive web application providing a hands-on approach for class learning and engagement around the concept of social class. To maintain transparency, reproducibility, adaptability and robustness, we developed this application with widely used software (the R software environment) and make source code freely available under a Creative Commons license. Students can use the application to explore the elements of different conceptualisations of social class, such as employment situation, workplace authority, and cultural consumption. The calculator encompasses Marxian, Weberian, and Bourdieusian class concepts and includes five distinct social class operationalisations, and two alternative operationalisations based upon similar theoretical orientations. As a result, students are able to better understand distinct conceptualizations and operationalizations of class. Application available here: https://eosscc.shinyapps.io/Edinburgh_Class_Calculator/.