The Bourdieu Class Theory: A Definition & Explanation
All You Need to Know About Class and Social Position - The Bourdieu-ian approach
Today, we will be outlining Bourdieu’s definition of class. Then, we will discuss the critical aspects of his class theories, present the advantages of using his theoretical framework, and consider how his theories fall short. Finally, we will touch on his work’s intersectional implications while considering his theoretical framework’s shortcomings.
The Bordieu Class Theory in a Nutshell
Pierre Bourdieu was a French sociologist, philosopher, and anthropologist. One of his main contribution to social theory is his concept of cultural capital. He argues that our social position is determined by the amount of cultural capital we have. Cultural capital can be defined as the “social resources acquired through education and upbringing that give one a competitive advantage in society” (Bourdieu).
Bourdieu took a more qualitative, cultural lens on the class structure of society, contrasting the quantitative approaches to class of other sociologists like Goldthorpe and Wright. His two central concepts — capital and habitus — take a more subjective and personal focus on class and its symbolic effects on the individual. Building on…
