File spoon-archives/bourdieu.archive/bourdieu_1998/bourdieu.9804, message 53


Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 10:09:08 -0400
From: Pierre Toussaint <m223024-AT-er.uqam.ca>
Subject: intro books and undergraduate students


Hi!
Two things.


First, a while ago someone asked for introductiory books in french on
Bourdieu's work. Nothing like the books by the man himself. I've talked
to some teacher's and three books stand out.

1) Questions de sociologie. Ed. Minuit, 1982.
The book is not recent, but includes texts on most of is important
concepts. There is a classic text in it on public opinion "L'opinion
publique n'existe pas" (at least in Quebec and France it is a classic).

2) Lecon sur la lecon. Ed. Minuit, 1982.
This one is his inaugural lecture at the College de France in april 82.

3) Raisons Pratiques. Ed. Seuil/Points #331. 1996 (1rst ed. 1994)
Good book since it is more recent than "questions..." but also more
complicated. Available in pocket book.

The book with Wacquant is also, as stated in other messages by myself
and others, very good. I could also suggest "Choses dites" Ed. Minuit,
1987. (Similar to Raisons pratiques as it is a collection of lectures)



Second, and finaly, about the use of Bourdieu in undergraduate courses.
I'll talk about the use of him while I was an undergrad. in political
science.
We saw "Metier de sociologue" (with Chamboredon and Passeron) in a first
semester course on methodology. Its section on epistemological problems
is great. Even if it is not easy. Don't be afraid to give hard texts to
your students! Also, on methodology of interviews, Bourdieu as written
some texts wich have grown into big debates (Misere du Monde, ed. Seuil,
1993, 1998 pocket book). Is theories, being a synthesis (I hope it's the
word i mean, not being myself perfect with english) of Durkheim, Marx
and Weber are a very important addition to social theory. I think it
would be a mistake to exclude him from undergrad courses.

I'm presentely a grad student in political science and i must say, we
use is work, even if Bourdieu has a problem with political science, a
lot. (You have to place him in the french context to understand is view
on politologists.) I don't see why teachers or lectures should'nt
include him because of conceptual difficulties. All I could say, out of
experience, don't include him if you are not yourself very comfortable
with his theory. Bourdieu is not easy to read, so it is easy to say
anything about him. I've heared that is is very "a la mode" in the US,
so it is even more important to be careful and not say generalities (as
in anything) about him.

Good luck, and sorry for my lousy english.

Pierre Toussaint
Science Politique
Université du Québec à Montréal
m223024-AT-er.uqam.ca

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