© department of sociology, the university of auckland s1 “operationalising bourdieu: putting...

© Department of Sociology, The University of Auckland S1

“Operationalising Bourdieu: Putting Theory into Practice”

A workshop for the exploration and uses of of Bourdieu's theoretical and empirical approaches within an Antipodean sociology

Chairs: Stephen McTaggart, Michael Stevens & Bertalan MagyarChairs: Stephen McTaggart, Michael Stevens & Bertalan MagyarPhD Candidates, Dept of Sociology, The University of AucklandPhD Candidates, Dept of Sociology, The University of Auckland

TASA 2008 SESSION 17: Social Networks Workshop

http://images.google.co.nz/imgres?imgurl=http://www.homme-moderne.org/societe/socio/bourdieu/mort/irisson.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.homme-moderne.org/societe/socio/bourdieu/index.html&h=303&w=290&sz=23&hl=en&start=9&tbnid=RTA7AHcG9cj__M:&tbnh=116&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbourdieu%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG


Bourdieu Workshop structureBourdieu Workshop structure

• IntroductionsIntroductions

• Michael, Stephen and Bertalan outline their work Michael, Stephen and Bertalan outline their work (5 minutes each)(5 minutes each)

• Suggested topics for discussion from attendeesSuggested topics for discussion from attendees

• Roundtable discussionRoundtable discussion



The Transmission and Reproduction of The Transmission and Reproduction of Positions of Potential Capital Advantage Positions of Potential Capital Advantage within the site(s)/fields of mate selectionwithin the site(s)/fields of mate selection

Stephen McTaggartPhD Candidate

University of Auckland



Theory, Hypotheses and Empirical Theory, Hypotheses and Empirical investigationinvestigation

– Bourdieu’s biological structuralism/ habitus/group habitus/homologies and the field

– Hypotheses• Reproduction, and transmission of persistent class inequalities/stratification

from differences found and marked in social interaction of actors/groups of actors.Relationships and social actions reflect, differentiate and renew class positions

– Testable through observations of movements in social space. • Differences for (and between);

• Single occupational groups• Clusters of particular occupational groups• Men and women



The transmission and reproduction of positions of potential The transmission and reproduction of positions of potential capital advantage within the site(s)/fields of mate selection capital advantage within the site(s)/fields of mate selection

Stephen McTaggartStephen McTaggart

Meta-Meso-Micro approaches

Meta (theory)Bourdieu after Weber,

SaussureHabitus, Capitals& Field

MicroEmpirical investigation of

mate selection using correspondence analysisSocial interaction scale

Meso (theory)HomophilyHomogomy

Differential association



Occupational market

Ratio males/ females

Marriage market

Propinquity

DelayingMarriage

Marriage strategies

Group size

Winnowing

Geography

Social setting

Marriage, stratification,Marriage, stratification, homophily and the Habitus:homophily and the Habitus:Transmission (and reproduction?)Transmission (and reproduction?)

of positions of potential of positions of potential advantage within the advantage within the

Site (s) of mate selectionSite (s) of mate selection

Group Habitus Individual

habitus

Internal predispositions strategies

toward homophily in many dimensions

Similar agents in family, neighbourhood, schools, venues

Influenced by (class) positions

in social space

Influence of Group (direct and indirect)

In ideal mates’ characteristics and

arrangement of introductions

Predisposition/schema to action

influenced by the field

Matching of characteristics

closest to another

in social space

Homophily

Gender

Proximity

Structural influences

Mate selectionMarriage/

Cohabitation



Data • National-level data (NZ Household censuses) for a

20 year period (1981-1986-1991-1996-2001)Variables • male and female cohabitating partners occupational

categoriesAnalysis • Correspondence analysis: a relational and social

distance model for categorical dataOutcomes• Gendered (twin) social interaction scale (Camsis)

Empirical investigation of social Empirical investigation of social interaction/mate selectioninteraction/mate selection



19812001

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Social interaction : 1981–1991–2001 Censuses:Social interaction : 1981–1991–2001 Censuses:Observing Homologies of lifestyles?Observing Homologies of lifestyles?



ConclusionsConclusions• Examination of social interaction/differential association/Homogamy in NZ over

20 year period (1981–2001) using Census marriage data

• Using Weberian Social closure/Bourdieu’s habitus/field/multiple capital approach to social stratification/social interaction

• Using correspondence analysis/NZ census data– Five different levels of analysis– Allows for Optimum level of detail

• Early Findings– 1981, 1991, 1996,1996 and 2001 data indicate relative social closeness

between couples with similar occupations– Ranking of degrees of closeness is roughly comparable to existing ranking

within NZSCO occupational schemas

• Creation of a New Zealand Social Interaction Scale (NZCAMSIS)

• Inevitability of stratification through homophily/homogamy and the habitus/group habitus?



Operationalising Bourdieu & HIV ResearchOperationalising Bourdieu & HIV Research

Michael StevensPhD Candidate




The ProblemThe Problem

– Recent epidemiological trends indicate spikes in new seroconversions after a period of levelling in the early 1990s, and new infections have been noted among those who were, at the time of their infections, well aware of HIV transmission risks.

– This is a puzzling reality with which to grapple. One can certainly

understand how a 20-year-old gay man became infected in 1981 when no one was aware that the virus even existed, but what is the explanation of the 20-year-old who seroconverts in 2001?

– If we posit that the majority of new infections among gay men in our

country are the result of unprotected sexual intercourse – condomless sex – then why does this phenomenon continue to exist if gay men are well aware that such behaviour places their health at risk? (Shernoff 2006)



The Central QuestionThe Central Question

• These trends seem true in NZ, Australia, the USA, the UK, Canada, Europe

• Is this symptomatic of a larger cultural shift in our world and the understandings and social location of gay men and MSM?



As a researcherAs a researcher

• Rich qualitative data

• The need for a robust yet flexible theoretical lens to interpret it

• Bourdieu meets these requirements



Applying Bourdieu

–DoxaDoxa

–FieldField

–HabitusHabitus

–CapitalCapital



Doxa

– How does thinking in terms of doxa help explain social changes?

– Older doxa one based in communal understandings of what being a gay man is

– This doxa challenged and superseded by neo-liberal doxa



Habitus

– The shift to a neo-liberal doxa also has an effect on habitus

– The development of a neo-liberal habitus affects MSM behaviour with regard to HIV in very important ways



Theoretical SchemeTheoretical Scheme

FIELD

capital

capital

DOXADOXA

HABITUS



Academic and social impact of university on Academic and social impact of university on students’ network formations and job students’ network formations and job

outcomesoutcomes

Bertalan MagyarPhD Candidate



Academic and social impact of university on Academic and social impact of university on students’ network formations and job students’ network formations and job

outcomesoutcomesHomophily, habitus, capitals, and fields in higher

educational research– early-stage work in progress

Research topics:

• How academic and social integration facilitate student persistence

• The way SES and cultural background affect group formation

• Challenges of international students’ social integration to university life

• Capture Higher Education as Field; its dynamics, borders, and subfields

• Micro-Capitals in multiple dimensions between “players”



Bourdieu’s terms and definitions• guiding tools, to be conceptualized/operationalized in actual social context• allow flexible use of them that fits to do “relational sociology”

“Middle range theory” (Merton 1968) – “Metatheoretical notions” (Brubaker 2004)

Homophily: Latent hierarchy between multiple dimensions where homophily is the driving factor of acts; alternative motivations of connections

Habitus: Individual and group; its origin, dynamics and transformation; its limitation

Capitals: Benefit of being in central positions in various student-networks (network capital ?), “conversion rate” of capitals

Fields: Higher Education as “meso-field”, university as social space; perimeters, subfields

Key theoretical concepts utilized in current Key theoretical concepts utilized in current researchresearch



Target population:Graduating students across faculties at the University of Auckland

Data collection:1st round (March-May, 2009): survey (n=500+) and interviews (50+)2nd round (April-May, 2010): interviews (50+) – “ex-students” at workVariables:

• SES, NZ/Auckland embeddedness, near-future plans about jobs• Networks (type, size, type of ties) – limited Social Network Analysis• Cultural tastes/preferences (music); leisure time• Satisfaction with student experience (academic + social dimensions)• Modified social distancing scale (Bogardus) to make it fit to this study

MethodologyMethodology



Expected degree of visibility of concepts extracted throughout the study: more → → lessSpecific: homophily → capital → habitus → fieldGeneral: survey ethnographic study/observation/interviews

1. Survey: Bourdieu’s terms’ limited direct applicability• sample: not representative → size, ratio (gender/faculty/ethnicity etc.)• depth of analysis; responder-honesty; “variable-softness” (network items)

2. Interviews: interviewer bias, responder-availability, time gap (2nd round)

Alternative theoretical concepts:- Undergraduate student socialization model (Weidman 1987)- Reference group theory (Astin 1993; Kuh 1995; Antonio 2004)- Propensity to Connect with Others, PCO (Totterdel 2008)- Cultural theory and art classification system (DiMaggio 1987, 1997)

Issues/LimitationsIssues/Limitations



Bourdieu’s concepts:• Offer flexible frameworks throughout research (pros & cons)• Might be easier to operationalize on the micro level in current study• May be utilized in qualitative studies more directly than in quantitative ones

Extending Bourdieu with Social Network Analysis (SNA):

•Homophily: SNA may reveal a hierarchy between homophily-driven preferences•Habitus: Network dynamics may affect habitus “transformation”•Capital: SNA may reveal channels of capital conversion •Field: SNA may help separating active ties from passive membership within fields

ConclusionsConclusions

© department of sociology, the university of auckland s1 “operationalising bourdieu: putting...

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