Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 21:59:44 -0400 (EDT) From: George Free <gfree-AT-linux.ca> Subject: Re: Habitus >>>>> "jambro" == jambro <jambro-AT-superonline.com> writes: jambro> Are you ... (our theory) suggesting that PB's idea of jambro> "habitus" is purely structural, and thus implies all of jambro> our "reality" is socially constructed? Basically, yes. Of course agency jambro> and structure are foundational discourses within a jambro> framework that has evolved in both philosophy and les jambro> sciences humaine (social science + humanities). Generally jambro> most social theoreticians have moved towards some jambro> synthesis, like A. Giddens theory of "structuration" as jambro> Marx himself suggested in his critiques of both Freurbach jambro> and Hegel. Ergo, my reading of habitus is more that the jambro> "rules" are dynamic and constantly evolving within the jambro> play of everyday life whereby we have to constantly jambro> improvise to successfully transit situations that vary jambro> from rule-bound behavioural calls & responses. To the extent that any individual can improvise, the ability to improvise is socially conditioned. In other words, we are raised in a certain way, and this way in which we are raised endows us with the ability to respond in certain ways and not others. I think Marx said that mankind makes history, but only under certain conditions, which are not of our own choosing... Everyone wants to deny social determinism, it seems, in order to assert the rights of, the "agency" of, the individual. What they ignore is that true "agency", and freedom, stems only from insight into the conditions that determine who we are. If we don't understand the conditions that limit (and empower) us, we won't be able to act in a way that goes beyond our present conditioning... Cheers! George ********************************************************************** Contributions: bourdieu-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu Commands: majordomo-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu Requests: bourdieu-approval-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
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