Subject: Re: Looking for elaborations of Habitus by Bourdieu
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 20:10:15 +0100


Dear Peggy Seany,

Bourdieu uses the term habitus in almost every book, but the most clear
explanations are to be found in the >sociology of symbolic forms<, the
>theory of practice< as well as in >social sense<. He >borrows< the term
>habitus< from Marcel Mauss (who uses it in >Sociology and Anthropology<,
vol. 2, where he talks about body -techniques and collective cultural
habits (see for the discussion of Bourdieu-Mauss the list in january this
year).
Bourdieu elaborates this concept to a kind of >generative grammar< of
social practice and action, which is up to a society as a whole, a social
class or the individual.It is understood as a kind of embodiement of
society which functions unconscious and without being formulated anywhere.
It is a concept to explain why power is reproduced unintentionally and why
social differences continue as they are; habitus is thus a distinctive
mechanism to construct social, cultural and invidiual differences.
So far for now; hope, this helps a bit..

Hannelore Bublitz


> Von: Peggi Sweany <mfsweany-AT-mtu.edu>
> An: bourdieu-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
> Betreff: Looking for elaborations of Habitus by Bourdieu
> Datum: Montag, 7. Dezember 1998 17:25
> 
> I know this has been on the list before but I can't find the information
in
> my archives.
> 
> A colleague of mine is interested in locating some work (short of
> book-length) in which Bourdieu elaborates his use of the notion of
> 'habitus.'  He would also be interested in intelligent (rather than
> reactionary) critiques of Bourdieu's work with this term. He has read
> several of Bourdieu's texts (translated).
> 
> If you would prefer replying privately, send them to
> falersweany-AT-gocougs.wsu.edu
> 
> Thank you for any suggestions you may have.
> 
> 
> Gregariousness is the refuge of mediocraties.  Dr. Zhivago
> 
> Margaret L. FalerSweany, Rhetoric & Technical Communication
> Humanities Department, WAHC 319
> Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
> 906-482-0367 Fax: 906-487-3559  Email: falersweany-AT-gocougs.wsu.edu
> 
> 
> 
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