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“Operationalising Bourdieu: Putting Theory into Practice”
A workshop for the exploration and uses of of Bourdieu's theoretical and empirical approaches within an Antipodean sociology
Chairs: Stephen McTaggart, Michael Stevens & Bertalan MagyarChairs: Stephen McTaggart, Michael Stevens & Bertalan MagyarPhD Candidates, Dept of Sociology, The University of AucklandPhD Candidates, Dept of Sociology, The University of Auckland
The Transmission and Reproduction of The Transmission and Reproduction of Positions of Potential Capital Advantage Positions of Potential Capital Advantage within the site(s)/fields of mate selectionwithin the site(s)/fields of mate selection
Theory, Hypotheses and Empirical Theory, Hypotheses and Empirical investigationinvestigation
– Bourdieu’s biological structuralism/ habitus/group habitus/homologies and the field
– Hypotheses• Reproduction, and transmission of persistent class inequalities/stratification
from differences found and marked in social interaction of actors/groups of actors.Relationships and social actions reflect, differentiate and renew class positions
– Testable through observations of movements in social space. • Differences for (and between);
• Single occupational groups• Clusters of particular occupational groups• Men and women
The transmission and reproduction of positions of potential The transmission and reproduction of positions of potential capital advantage within the site(s)/fields of mate selection capital advantage within the site(s)/fields of mate selection
Stephen McTaggartStephen McTaggart
Meta-Meso-Micro approaches
Meta (theory)Bourdieu after Weber,
SaussureHabitus, Capitals& Field
MicroEmpirical investigation of
mate selection using correspondence analysisSocial interaction scale
Marriage, stratification,Marriage, stratification, homophily and the Habitus:homophily and the Habitus:Transmission (and reproduction?)Transmission (and reproduction?)
of positions of potential of positions of potential advantage within the advantage within the
Site (s) of mate selectionSite (s) of mate selection
Group Habitus Individual
habitus
Internal predispositions strategies
toward homophily in many dimensions
Similar agents in family, neighbourhood, schools, venues
Social interaction : 1981–1991–2001 Censuses:Social interaction : 1981–1991–2001 Censuses:Observing Homologies of lifestyles?Observing Homologies of lifestyles?
– Recent epidemiological trends indicate spikes in new seroconversions after a period of levelling in the early 1990s, and new infections have been noted among those who were, at the time of their infections, well aware of HIV transmission risks.
– This is a puzzling reality with which to grapple. One can certainly
understand how a 20-year-old gay man became infected in 1981 when no one was aware that the virus even existed, but what is the explanation of the 20-year-old who seroconverts in 2001?
– If we posit that the majority of new infections among gay men in our
country are the result of unprotected sexual intercourse – condomless sex – then why does this phenomenon continue to exist if gay men are well aware that such behaviour places their health at risk? (Shernoff 2006)
Academic and social impact of university on Academic and social impact of university on students’ network formations and job students’ network formations and job
Academic and social impact of university on Academic and social impact of university on students’ network formations and job students’ network formations and job
outcomesoutcomesHomophily, habitus, capitals, and fields in higher
educational research– early-stage work in progress
Research topics:
• How academic and social integration facilitate student persistence
• The way SES and cultural background affect group formation
• Challenges of international students’ social integration to university life
• Capture Higher Education as Field; its dynamics, borders, and subfields
• Micro-Capitals in multiple dimensions between “players”
Bourdieu’s terms and definitions• guiding tools, to be conceptualized/operationalized in actual social context• allow flexible use of them that fits to do “relational sociology”
“Middle range theory” (Merton 1968) – “Metatheoretical notions” (Brubaker 2004)
Homophily: Latent hierarchy between multiple dimensions where homophily is the driving factor of acts; alternative motivations of connections
Habitus: Individual and group; its origin, dynamics and transformation; its limitation
Capitals: Benefit of being in central positions in various student-networks (network capital ?), “conversion rate” of capitals
Fields: Higher Education as “meso-field”, university as social space; perimeters, subfields
Key theoretical concepts utilized in current Key theoretical concepts utilized in current researchresearch
Target population:Graduating students across faculties at the University of Auckland
Data collection:1st round (March-May, 2009): survey (n=500+) and interviews (50+)2nd round (April-May, 2010): interviews (50+) – “ex-students” at workVariables:
• SES, NZ/Auckland embeddedness, near-future plans about jobs• Networks (type, size, type of ties) – limited Social Network Analysis• Cultural tastes/preferences (music); leisure time• Satisfaction with student experience (academic + social dimensions)• Modified social distancing scale (Bogardus) to make it fit to this study
Expected degree of visibility of concepts extracted throughout the study: more → → lessSpecific: homophily → capital → habitus → fieldGeneral: survey ethnographic study/observation/interviews
1. Survey: Bourdieu’s terms’ limited direct applicability• sample: not representative → size, ratio (gender/faculty/ethnicity etc.)• depth of analysis; responder-honesty; “variable-softness” (network items)
2. Interviews: interviewer bias, responder-availability, time gap (2nd round)
Alternative theoretical concepts:- Undergraduate student socialization model (Weidman 1987)- Reference group theory (Astin 1993; Kuh 1995; Antonio 2004)- Propensity to Connect with Others, PCO (Totterdel 2008)- Cultural theory and art classification system (DiMaggio 1987, 1997)
Bourdieu’s concepts:• Offer flexible frameworks throughout research (pros & cons)• Might be easier to operationalize on the micro level in current study• May be utilized in qualitative studies more directly than in quantitative ones
Extending Bourdieu with Social Network Analysis (SNA):
•Homophily: SNA may reveal a hierarchy between homophily-driven preferences•Habitus: Network dynamics may affect habitus “transformation”•Capital: SNA may reveal channels of capital conversion •Field: SNA may help separating active ties from passive membership within fields