Taste Formations, Cultures and Class By James, Jana and Maria

Pierre Bourdieu was an acclaimed French sociologist ( ) He investigated frameworks and terminologies such as cultural, social and symbolic capital to reveal the dynamics of power relations in social life. “Class Distinction and the Aristocracy of Culture” by Pierre Bourdieu

He used methods from a wide range of disciplines particularly philosophy, sociology and anthropology. His main argument is that judgements of taste are related to social position.

Pure gaze: a speaking eye. A field which is capable of imposing its own norms on both production and consumption of its products. Exchange value: refers to one of four major attributes of a commodity i.e. an item or service produced for and sold on the market. Use value: the value/ utility of any labour product. Kantianism: is a philosophy by Kant (in the eighteenth century) used to describe contemporary positions in philosophy of mind, epistemology and ethics Connoisseur: a person who has a great deal of knowledge about the fine arts or an expert judge in matters of taste Habitus: a person’s predisposition to be affected by something Social Capital: refers to connections between social networks- they have value as they affect the productivity of individuals and groups Economic Capital: The amount of risk capital-money needed to secure survival in the worst case scenario Cultural Capital: Non-financial assets-educational,social and intellectual knowledge Useful Definitions

He claims that how one chooses to present one’s social space to the world and aesthetic dispositions depicts one’s status and distances oneself from lower groups. These dispositions are internalised at an early age and guide the young towards their appropriate social positions. Taste is not just personal but social. Difference in cultural capital mark the differences between classes. Yhttp:// Y Bourdieu’s Theory of Class Distinction

“To the socially recognised hierarchy of the arts, and within each of them, of genres, schools or periods, corresponds a social hierarchy of the consumers. This predisposes taste to function as markers of ‘class’. The manner in which culture has been acquired lives on in the manner of using it.” nU&NR=1http:// nU&NR=1

We chose to include this further reading as it relates to Bourdieu’s theory of social class being defined by taste. In this case we are focusing on shopping and its empowerment and self identification for woman. Proletarian shopping; describes window shopping with no intention to buy Consumer society; one in which ever growing consumption becomes the principal aspiration, source of identity and leisure activity for more and more of the population Reading the Popular “Shopping for Pleasure by John Fiske

The department store was the first public space that could be occupied by respectable women on their own. It signified stepping out from domestic bounds. The mall is where women could and can be public, empowered and free to occupy roles other than those demanded by the nuclear family. OI0 OI0

However nowadays, it is not just women who express themselves through material objects. Fashion and automobiles serve as an important mode for self expression to the male westerner. It displays his strength and taste. The need for “display” is a need for self-esteem and respect that is denied by the conditions of production, but that may be met by the conditions of consumption

How do we make choices about taste and culture? - Education? Environment? Do you agree with Bourdieu’s statement that ‘taste classifies and it classifies the classifier’? Is it still relevant nowadays? Discussion Points: