Agenda Announcements: Midterm due on Tuesday November 18 by Midnight in dropbox; Title your paper “FI Last Name Midterm” No readings for tomorrow Example entries in Journal Questions on Midterm? Review of Habitus and Cultural Capital Discussion with Partner Group Discussion Mid Term Evaluations

Pierre Bourdieu – Habitus and Cultural Capital Habitus – system of internalized dispositions that mediates between the social structure and the subjective tastes and practical activities of people Orients people in their goals A class-wide point of view Not easily changed – it’s what you grow up in and shapes you Helps us explain regularities in cultural consumption choices by class Cultural Capital – “institutionalized, i.e. widely shared, high status cultural signals (attitudes preferences, formal knowledge, behaviors, goods and credentials) used for social and cultural exclusion” (Lamont and Lareau) Other capitals – economic capital, social capital Your ability to accumulate cultural capital is very highly related to your habitus, and is also very stable and hard to change

Discussion of Bourdieu in Pairs How can habitus inform and create differences between classes in: Appreciation for art Linguistic Style Food Presentation and Meals Time Orientation Bodily Dispositions What are some examples of situations in everyday life where you make use of cultural capital? Has your cultural capital helped you achieve your current social position in any way? How? How can differences in cultural capital lead to social and class reproduction?

Group Discussion Do you think that Bourdieu’s ideas and theories of class differences in tastes make sense? Do you agree with the form vs. function dichotomy? Can the concepts of habitus and cultural capital explain social mobility? How? How does Brooks’ characterize the consumption patterns of the Bobos? Do you think the consumption style of the Bobo’s will continue to exist in these very different economic times? If you think it will change, how? Is the NYT article about the bobos, the middle class, the upper class or the out-of-sights?

Review Midterm due Tuesday by Midnight in Dropbox Bourdieu – Habitus and Cultural Capital Differences in taste between classes as a result of their habitus The changing economic climate and Bobos