What is social class?

Everything I'm doing here is so interesting for me! Admittedly i just had a strong coffee so the whole world looks very rosey while im high.

My first project is to help "map the terrain" of what UCT could do if they did a Masters in Health Systems. This is great for me as it involves really broad sweeping reading about:

• What is a health system?
• How do economists, sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists etc etc view it?
• How can we/they have a course which teaches insights from all these areas?

My second project I thought was going to be dull and methodological but is actually really good. Its looking at social class and "socio-economic status", and trying to work out:

• What actually is it?
• How can we measure it?
• What are its links to health?

Economists in poor coountries tend to focus on income, or wealth (which they measure by asking such questions as - do you have a house with walls?). this obviously excludes culture, education, gender, race etc from investigations which is a disater as they are all crucial to health.

Oh and I've met a guy here doing a PhD. He did a Masters in International Development and Political Economy at SOAS. Looks awesome, i want to do it!