Distinction Pierre Bourdieu and the Aristocracy of Culture

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DistinctionPierre Bourdieu and the Aristocracy
of Culture

• Tuesday 21 January 2003

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Key terms

• Pierre Bourdieu
• aristocracy of culture
• cultural capital
• dominant class

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Pierre Bourdieu

• 1930-2002
• French sociologist, philosopher, anthropologist
  public intellectual
• Studied education, art, culture, literature, TV,
  media, gender, poverty, Berber culture (Algeria)
• Fought against social injustice

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the 3 estates

• 1st the clergy (pope, cardinals, bishops,
  monks, priests, curates, nuns, etc.)
• 2nd the aristocracy (king, royal family,
  princes/princesses, dukes/duchesses,
  counts/countesses, barons/baronesses, etc.)
• 3rd everyone else (bourgeoisie, petty
  bourgeoisie, workers, peasants)

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new petite bourgeoisie

• junior commercial executives
• medical and social services
• secretaries
• cultural intermediaries

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TASTE
EDUCATION
home (inherited)
school (acquired)
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educational capital (highest diploma)
cultural practices

• legitimate
• (painting, music, etc.)
• personal
• (clothing, furniture, cookery)

social origin (dads occupation)
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Diploma equivalencies

• CEP, CAP grade school
• BEPC high school (vocational)
• baccalauréat high school (college prep)
• technical college community college
• licence B.A. / B.S.

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legitimate taste
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middle-brow taste
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popular taste
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production of distinctions

• Thus, of all of the objects offered for
  consumers choice, there are none more
  classifying than legitimate works of art, which
  enable the production of distinctions ad
  infinitum by playing on divisions and
  sub-divisions into genres, periods, styles,
  authors, etc.
• Distinction, p. 16

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the Cultural Divide

• Popular aesthetic
• continuity between art and life
• High aesthetic
• form over content
• detachment, distance

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the Aesthetic Disposition

• a relatively large proportion of the
  highest-qualified subjects assert their aesthetic
  disposition by declaring that any object can be
  perceived aesthetically.
• Distinction, p. 39

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lower classes deformed hands
arthritisupper classes symbol of toil
beautiful
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Key terms (review)

• Pierre Bourdieu
• aristocracy of culture
• cultural capital
• dominant class