Estilo de vida e diversidade intraclasse: a heterogeneidade da classe média brasileira a partir do consumo familiar

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the internal heterogeneity of the Brazilian urban middle class based on household consumption patterns observed in the 2017–2018 POF/IBGE survey. Within the field of social stratification and in dialogue with the sociology of consumption, it is based on the premise that consumption expresses economic conditions and social practices that organize distinctions and belonging. The universe is defined by per capita household income (P85–P99) and the reference person's education level (incomplete higher education or higher). Methodologically, it identifies profiles through cluster analysis (K-means) and then employs Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to situate these profiles in a relational space, projecting supplementary variables: sex, age, race/ethnicity, education level, occupation, family composition, and region. The results show that the middle class, often treated as homogeneous, presents striking internal differences (between individual and collective spheres of expenditure), associated with sociodemographic and occupational markers. By treating "lifestyle" as a theoretical category and empirically reporting "consumption patterns/profiles," this thesis contributes to understanding the reproduction of inequalities and intra-class diversity in contemporary Brazil.