Theory of practice

27. August 2008 | From Tino Kressner | Category: Book Review

Pierre Bourdieu is in sociology as a mediator of subjectivism and objectivism. He sees these as modes of theoretical knowledge, is insufficient to explain the social and designs from his "theory of practice." He analyzes how habits, ideals, and leisure activities that express class consciousness. He shows through empirical research, how Milieus by subtle differences in consumption and gesture from the other groups to define. In his central thesis, he describes that there is a direct connection between the position in social space and the lifestyle there. Life expressions, such as food, clothing, religion and place of residence according to Bourdieu are directly dependent on the social affiliation. Changes in social space are reflected in a changed lifestyle again.

Information on the author Pierre Bourdieu

Foundation for Bourdieu's theory

Recognizing subjectivist way: Here is the social world as a natural and naturally given world. It refers to the experience of an individual and is therefore also described as a micro-sociology. It is practically an act of an individual experienced in the sense of a practical view of the social world. Bourdieu sees this discovery as a "scientific description of the vorwissenschaftlichen experience." "Because the actors never know exactly what they do, their actions have more meaning than they know themselves."

Objectivist cognition manner: Social Looking in more distant form of will and consciousness of the actors. This level is also described as a macro sociology, in which the things on the individual act, but "over" this is.

Theory of practice

Knowledge of political practice ( "Theory of Practice"): merging of subjectivist and objectivist cognition manner. The social practice will be distanced from the perspective of outsiders considered. The "theory of practice" mediates between the two social theories.

With his theory of "habitus" and the "social space," the mediating roles clarified. As the basis of both theories of Marx, a sophisticated understanding of the capital.

Capital

The aim of the social action of the players is the accumulation of capital. Bourdieu but differs in contrast to Karl Marx four forms of capital:

economic capital: all forms of material wealth: assets, income and property rights. Bourdieu analyzes the quantitative disposition of money and income. For Marx, capital is the money, which leads to the further production of money is designed. Thus, every economic capital.
cultural capital: knowledge, culture, evidence (academic title)
social capital: membership in a group. It stems from the use of a durable network of institutionalized relationships of mutual knowledge or recognition. Exist on the basis of physical and / or symbolic exchange relations (eg, words, gifts, women).
symbolic capital: the interaction of capital to places of prestige, fame and rank of the actors in society. Recognition of the capital in the social field.

"The unequal distribution of capital, thus the structure of the entire field, thus forming the basis for the specific effects of capital, namely the ability to mastery of profits (...)" (Bourdieu 1997: 221). The actual accumulation of a certain capital of each actor places will decide on his position in the society. The importance of capital varieties vary in different social types (classes).

The four types of capital can be converted into each other. For example: Money (ökon.) for an evening course (kult.); nothing economically transferring time for dealing with another person (soz), Job (ökon.) by some education (kul.).

Social field

The social field includes the whole of the social interactions and constellations (including politics, culture, economy), as well as their sub (including literature, school). The three primary types of capital are only in a specific field effectively. The social field is a breakdown of the social space. The number of fields is not restricted.

Field of social relations: Here, social capital accumulates. It is considered the oldest, originating from the pre-agricultural societies, where the competition for prestige and honor at its heart.

Economic Field: Formed from the use of money as capital and the existence of a state that the contractual commitments guaranteed. As with Marx here is to be used like cash at the end of a certain period, more money comes out.
Cultural Field: Formed from the use of Scripture and the formation of a school system. In competition with scientific and / or philosophical achievements.

Other fields include: Political Field, scientific field, bureaucratic field. All fields are surrounded by a large momentum characterized by Bourdieu as a battle field or travels to understand. In each field are different rules. Conflicts arise when, for example, the policy in the economy.

Habitus

As a habit, the value of holding a class to understand, which is in similar work experience, Konsumptionsformen, life styles and perspectives expressed. Within social structures can thus categorize members of social classes. A certain attitude in a class-founded a social milieu. After the Second World War and with the'68 movement was a shift in values set in motion. Transformation of the values of solidarity and security to education, self, individuality and authenticity. There are nine specific environments emerged:

Alternate Milieu, technocratic liberal milieu
Hedonistic milieu, promotion-oriented environment, small bourgeois milieu
New worker milieu, tradition-free environment, workers, employees Traditional Milieu

Differences can remain after basic living conditions (opus operatum) and action (modus operandi)

Opus operatum: social origin, social Resume
Modus operandi: the type of thinking, perceptions of the social world, behavior and action in social situations

Bourdieu sees the habitus as "body language has become." With him are thinking and views visible to the human body (clothing, language, taste, consumer behavior, ...). Thus the habitus is a class-specific acquired adaptation of unconscious dispositions, behavior and attitudes of a person connected to the respective social environment (milieu).

The habitus serves as a mediation of structure and practice, but after four assumptions can be made:

Inkorporationsannahme: internalized society
Unbewusstheitsannahme: unconscious practice specific strategies
Strategy adopted by pursuing personal interests
Stability assumption: Frühkindliche patterns are influential in changing environment

The habitus created by the patterns of activity, evaluations and attitudes Bourdieu called "taste". This manifests itself in three areas

Food
Culture
Selbstdarstellung

Classes

Even in the classes that Bourdieu's theory is bordered by Marx and refers to a subdivision of its model of social space. Basically it differs by:

Objektive class ensemble of actors, the homogeneous living conditions follow. It is defined by objective goods (property), and incorporated features (knowledge, habitus forms).

Mobilized class ensemble of actors, for the struggle of a preservation or alteration of the capital Verteilstruktur places among the classes.

Within the classes of individuals can be distinguished by:

quantitative volume of capital
Capital structure; ratio of ownership of capital among varieties
Temporal development of this size (trend: ascent or descent)
secondary division of principles (eg, gender, ethnicity, place of residence)

Classes of modern society

Middle / upper class (ruling class, habitus: legitimate lifestyle)
Class with a priority on reproduction and accumulation of economic capital (entrepreneurs)
Class with a priority on the reproduction of cultural capital (artists, intellectuals)
Middle class (lower-middle class, the aspirations of habitus)
Class with the main purpose of the accumulation of economic capital (craftsmen, ...)
New middle class with new service and information professionals (programmers, graphic designers, ...)
Working class / subclass / "underclass" (habitus of necessity):
No structure exists in Bourdieu

Revolutions, strikes and movements of Bourdieu's view of the competitive struggle of the classes. Economic and cultural capital to fight.

Social space

Social space is a three-dimensional representation (dimension of capital, capital structure, social grade) social structures, which act to level the social field. Within the social space are classes that are characterized by similar positions. The individual moves within the social space through investment strategies and developing a capital locations.

The class theory of Karl Marx (objectivism) is caused by a "value dimension" as Max Weber (subjectivism) added. For him there is no overprinting of the classes, but a dynamic field, the axis through a cross on all sides is open. The y-axis shows the expression of the variable capital volume, the x-axis is the expression of the "capital". In this space can be located by each individual. Bourdieu differed according to the "space of social positions" and the "space of lifestyles." Since both are connected directly, they can also be a graph. Bourdieu assumes that people with similar professions maintain a similar lifestyle and vice versa.

Example:
Top left: professor, opera, classical music, museum
Top right: master craftsmen, industrialists, golf, cocktails, champagne
Bottom right: farmers, television (RTL), Pommes frites
Links below: chefs, Stamp Collectors, Basteln

Sources and further information
Books
Bourdieu, Pierre: The subtle differences - Criticism of the ruling force in society.
Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt / M. 1987
Bourdieu, Pierre: Design of a theory of practice. Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt / M. 1979
Internet
Engagiertewissenschaft.de: For a dedicated science - The last speech of Pierre Bourdieu: www.engagiertewissenschaft.de/content/view/74/81, 7.01.2008
Gess, Christopher: Criticism of human capital theory, with special regard des sociological approach of Pierre Bourdieu:
www.kritiknetz.de / kritik_der_humankapitaltheorie.pdf, 7.01.2008
Philosophy Practice: Pierre Bourdieu:
www.praxisphilosophie.de / bourdieu.htm, 7.01.2008
Sociological approach of Pierre Bourdieu:
www2.hu-berlin.de/skan/lehre/kultwiss/theorie_litkult_ws0102/thesenpapier_bourdieu.html, 7.01.2008
University of Graz: 50 Klassiker der Soziologie - Biography Pierre Bourdieu:
agso.uni-graz.at/lexikon/klassiker/bourdieu/06bio.htm, 7.01.2008
Zugeistreich: capital terms:
zugeistreich.wordpress.com / equity terms, 7.01.2008
Picture credits
(Portrait of Pierre Bourdieu) Wikiepedia: Pierre Bourdieu
de.wikipedia.org / wiki / Pierre_Bourdieu, 7.01.2008
(The Social Area) Margareta, Steinrücke: Pierre Bourdieu: Political Research, thinking and action.
VSA-Verlag, Hamburg, 2004