Pierre Bourdieu: The Stuff of Social Class

Use this as the main reference:

Longhofer, W., & Winchester, D. (2016). Social theory re-wired: New connections to classical and contemporary perspectives (2nd ed.) [Electronic version]. Routledge: New York. Retrieved from https://redshelf.com

In Chapter 2 of the Social Theory Re-Wired text you should read Pierre Bourdieu’s work “The Forms of Capital.” In it, Bourdieu argues that all of the material things or “stuff” that people own and surround themselves with are primary examples of cultural capital in its objectified form. Indeed, almost any category of consumer products—like artwork, digital music players, cars, coffeemakers, cookware, computers, furniture, make-up, fashion, you name it—have what are often called “high-,” “low-,” and “middle-brow” versions of the exact same product.

Analyze one category of consumer products as an instance of objectified cultural capital and describe what it is meant to reflect about their owner’s social position.

Respond to the following question: Do you think something as seemingly simple as a painting or piece of furniture helps reproduce class inequalities, as Bourdieu argues? Explain why or why not.

Describe what social class you believe you belong to and how you exhibit it to others through your objectified cultural capital.

A member of the middle class can be accepted to a higher social class based on his profession and wealth, but in his home town amongst family and friends he will always be seen as the class he was born in to. Do you agree that this is still true in society today? Explain why or why not.