Capital

From Geography

The way Bourdieu thinks about capital is different from how this concept is explained by other social theories or the usage of the word by people in their everyday life. In other social theories or in everyday life capital is related to monetary or material value. However Bourdieu’s usage of the term capital is more focused on structural principles which take place in interactions between social actors in different fields of social space. In each field people unconsciously develop a certain habitus. A habitus is certain a mode or style of acting. This habitus becomes a structure that influences human actions within a certain field. Bourdieu makes a distinction between three dimensions of capital.

1. Cultural Capital. This dimension of capital is for example about knowledge, skills or education.

2. Social Capital. This aspect contains relations and networks between people in social space.

3. Economic capital. This last dimension of capital is related to money and property.

(4). Symbolic Capital. This dimension can be seen as a synonym for prestige, honor and recognition. It includes the sum of economic, cultural and social capital. Hence it cannot be put on a level with the other three dimensions. The more economic, cultural and social capital a person has, the higher his symbolic capital. Bourdieu sees symbolic capital as a crucial source of power.

References:

Lippuner, R. & Werlen, B. (2009). Structuration Theory. In: International Encyclopedia for Human Geography. Elsevier.

Published by Lotte Brouwer & Inge Schoenmakers

Page enhanced by JensLubben 18:48, 17 December 2011 (CET)