Notes from October 19, 2005
P. Bourdieu (1970). Outline of a Theory of Practice. Chapter 2: Structures and Habitus.
Through practice, (social) structures are generated and produced.
And these practices have an observable order = “theory of practice”.
Internal/external dialectic:
- “internalization of externality”: when external is internalized.
- “Externalization of internality”: externally express what is internally represented; to externally express what is internally represented.
- Incorporation (internal)
- Objectification (external)
HABITUS
- There are unavoidable structures and there is a sequential order to them- none of which people are conscious of.
- Habitus produces practices.
- Agents will always reproduce the structures which they are a product, which is determined by who they are; an outcome of past practices. Habitus is a product of history.
- Practice is not a mechanical reaction, yet there is no total freedom, either.
- Habitus is a socially constituted system of cognitive and motivating structures.
- There are internal rules (moral codes) and external law (rules).
- These limits establish what is both deemed reasonable and unreasonable by agents subjected to these rules.
WHAT PRODUCES THE HABITUS?
- Habitus produces practices that reproduce these regularities. Habitus is just regulated improvisation; free choice is limited by the structures.
- All agents produce and reproduce habitus.
See other discussions:
Victor Buchli The Archaeology of Socialism
Daniel Miller Material and Mass Conspumption
Michel Foucault History of Sexuality
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