Where and who is the »new middle class«? a reply to Nils Kumkar and Uwe Schimank

Abstract

The article responds to Nils Kumkar's and Uwe Schimank's critical debate of Andreas Reckwitz's distinction between the new and the old middle class. The level of abstraction, the historical development and the scope of the two classes are clarified. The model of social milieu of the Heidelberg SINUS Institute is evaluated in detail for an analysis of the new and the old middle class. The article ends with a discussion of possible causes for the »defensive reflexes« of German sociology to the new middle class.