Cultural capital

Cultural capital is a term coined by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu to describe the non-financial social assets that promote social mobility beyond economic means. Examples of cultural capital include education, intellect, style of speech, dress, or physical appearance. Bourdieu identified three forms of cultural capital: embodied, objectified, and institutionalized, each serving as a means to facilitate social mobility in different contexts.

Embodied Cultural Capital

Embodied cultural capital consists of the properties of the individual, such as knowledge, skills, and attitudes one acquires through the process of socialization. This form of capital is not transferable except through socialization and includes everything from language proficiency to manners and cultural appreciation. The acquisition of embodied cultural capital is often associated with the individual's background, upbringing, and education, making it a critical aspect of one's habitus.

Objectified Cultural Capital

Objectified cultural capital refers to physical objects that are owned, such as books, artworks, or scientific instruments, which can provide an individual with a certain status or prestige. Unlike embodied capital, objectified cultural capital can be transferred from one person to another through gift or inheritance. However, possessing such objects does not necessarily mean that the individual has the cultural competencies to fully appreciate or utilize them, highlighting the distinction between owning and appropriating cultural capital.

Institutionalized Cultural Capital

Institutionalized cultural capital is a form of recognition, often in the form of academic qualifications or titles, which confers upon an individual a certain conventional, constant, legally guaranteed value with respect to culture. It provides an official recognition of cultural competence and authority, such as diplomas and degrees, which can be used to signal one's cultural capital to others, particularly in the labor market.

Social Mobility and Cultural Capital

Cultural capital plays a significant role in social mobility. Individuals or groups with a high amount of cultural capital tend to have more opportunities for social advancement than those with less. Education systems are often highlighted as the primary means through which cultural capital is both acquired and transmitted, serving as gatekeepers to the distribution of cultural capital within society.

Criticism and Discussion

Critics of Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital have argued that it is too broad and difficult to measure empirically. Others have suggested that the theory emphasizes the role of individual agency in social mobility at the expense of structural factors. Despite these criticisms, the concept of cultural capital has been influential in the fields of sociology, education, and cultural studies, providing a framework for understanding how cultural factors contribute to social inequality.

See Also

• Social capital
• Economic capital
• Habitus (sociology)
• Symbolic capital
• Social mobility