Floyd Hunter

American sociologist

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July 16, 2026

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Floyd Hunter was an American sociologist known for his influential studies on social stratification and power structures within communities. In his 1953 study of Atlanta, Georgia, Hunter shifted the focus of stratification research from social status to power, documenting how a community power structure influenced urban politics.1

His work, along with that of W. Lloyd Warner and Robert and Helen Lynd, contributed to understanding social class in the United States, moving beyond the idea of a classless society. These studies utilized anthropological methods to identify distinct social classes and their subcultures, revealing the complex divisions within American communities.12

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sociology
Social stratification
In 1953 Floyd Hunter’s study of Atlanta, Georgia, shifted the emphasis in stratification from status to power; he documented a community power structure that controlled the agenda of urban politics. Likewise, C. Wright Mills in 1956 proposed that a “power elite” dominated the national agenda in Washington,…
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In 1953 Floyd Hunter’s study of Atlanta, Georgia, shifted the emphasis in stratification from status to power; he documented a community power structure that controlled the agenda of urban politics. Likewise, C. Wright Mills in 1956 proposed that a “power elite” dominated the national agenda in Washington,…
Read More