Discuss the Concept of Cultural Capital
Discuss the concept of cultural capital
Pierre Bourdieu developed the concept of cultural capital in order to attempt to explain the differences in educational outcomes in France during the 1960’s. Cultural capital is theorised as the forms of knowledge, skill, education; any advantages a person has which, give them a higher status in society, including high expectations (Nick Stevenson, 1995.pp.46-48). This differentiates economic and social status from the class agenda which, is rigidly sustained through an exclusive cycle. Cultural capital itself can be used in analysis of the class system, and how the dominant aesthetic and ideology is sustained from generation to generation.
There are three defined subtypes of cultural capital which, identify the sources and development of each. The embodied state is that where the cultural capital is embodied in the individual, it is an inherited gift of tradition, cultured experience and knowledge passed on through the family in socialisation. Socialisation involves learned knowledge and behaviours and is strongly linked to one’s habitus in terms of an individual’s character and method of processing information. Embodied state of cultural capital can be clearly depicted in linguistic capital, defined as the mastery of and relation to language (Nicholas Abercrombie (eds) 2000, pp.152-183). The development of speech, conversation and collective thoughts.
The objectified state relates to things that are physically owned in terms of artefacts e.g. works of art and scientific apparatus. These cultural goods can be transmitted/ sold in physical terms for gain of economic capital. One may own objectified items in a physical sense but it is in understanding its qualities and meanings through embodied capital that its value is realised.
The institutionalised state is in recognition of academic achievement and learning through credentials or qualifications. This is generally understood in terms of the labour market
Pierre Bourdieu developed the concept of cultural capital in order to attempt to explain the differences in educational outcomes in France during the 1960’s. Cultural capital is theorised as the forms of knowledge, skill, education; any advantages a person has which, give them a higher status in society, including high expectations (Nick Stevenson, 1995.pp.46-48). This differentiates economic and social status from the class agenda which, is rigidly sustained through an exclusive cycle. Cultural capital itself can be used in analysis of the class system, and how the dominant aesthetic and ideology is sustained from generation to generation.
There are three defined subtypes of cultural capital which, identify the sources and development of each. The embodied state is that where the cultural capital is embodied in the individual, it is an inherited gift of tradition, cultured experience and knowledge passed on through the family in socialisation. Socialisation involves learned knowledge and behaviours and is strongly linked to one’s habitus in terms of an individual’s character and method of processing information. Embodied state of cultural capital can be clearly depicted in linguistic capital, defined as the mastery of and relation to language (Nicholas Abercrombie (eds) 2000, pp.152-183). The development of speech, conversation and collective thoughts.
The objectified state relates to things that are physically owned in terms of artefacts e.g. works of art and scientific apparatus. These cultural goods can be transmitted/ sold in physical terms for gain of economic capital. One may own objectified items in a physical sense but it is in understanding its qualities and meanings through embodied capital that its value is realised.
The institutionalised state is in recognition of academic achievement and learning through credentials or qualifications. This is generally understood in terms of the labour market
References: • Stevenson,N. (2002) Understanding Media Cultures.2nd ed. London:Sage Publications Ltd. • Inglis,F.(2004) Key Concepts;Culture.1st ed. Cambridge:Polity Press Ltd. • Abercrombie,N., Warde, A., et al.(2000). Contemporary British Society.3rd ed. Cambridge:Polity Press Ltd. • Marsh,I. et al.(2000).Sociology Making Sense of Society. 2nd ed. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. • Reay,D.(2004) “Education and Cultural Capital: The Implications of Changing Trends in Education Policies”, Cultural Trends, 13(2), pp.73-86. • Gewritz,S. Clarke,J. McLaughlin.(eds) (2000) New Managerialsim, New Welfare? London:Sage