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This text details the practical applications of Bourdieu's theories in a series of specific pedagogic research studies, showing how his ideas can be put into practice. Language, gender, career decision-making and the experience of higher education students are all covered. Questions are also raised concerning research methodology. The authors examine Bourdieu's interest in the position of the researcher within the research process. Bourdieu's influence is traced in aspects both of theory and practice. Finally, principles, approaches, methods and techniques that may be derived from Bourdieu are suggested, and assessed, for practical use in research.
E-Book Content
Bourdieu and Education
Bourdieu and Education: Acts of Practical Theory
Michael Grenfell and David James with Philip Hodkinson, Diane Reay and Derek Robbins
UK Falmer Press, 1 Gunpowder Square, London, EC4A 3DE USA Falmer Press, Taylor & Francis Inc., 1900 Frost Road, Suite 101, Bristol, PA 19007 © M.Grenfell and D.James, 1998 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publisher. First published in 1998 This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge's collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0-203-20945-1 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-26756-7 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0 7507 0887 5 cased ISBN 0 7507 0886 7 paper Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data are available on request Jacket design by Caroline Archer Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders for their permission to reprint material in this book. The publishers would be grateful to hear from any copyright holder who is not here acknowledged and will undertake to rectify any errors or omissions in future editions of this book.
Contents
Chapter 1 Part I
Introduction Bourdieu in Education
1 5
Chapter 2
Theory, Practice and Pedagogic Research
7
Chapter 3
The Need for an Epistemological ‘Break’ Derek Robbins
27
Part II
Practical Applications
53
Chapter 4
Cultural Reproduction: Mothers Involvement in Their Children’s Primary Schooling Diane Reay
55
Chapter 5
Language and the Classroom Michael Grenfell
71
Chapter 6
Career Decision Making and the Transition from School to Work Philip Hodkinson
89
Chapter 7
Higher Education Field-work: The Interdependence of Teaching, Research and Student Experience David James
Part III Chapter 8 Part IV Chapter 9 Chapter 10
105
The Practice of Theory
123
The Practice of Theory
125
Theory as Method
151
Theory as Method
153
Conclusion
179
Notes on Contributors
183
Bibliography
185
Index
197
vi
Chapter 1 Introduction
The work of the French social theorist, Pierre Bourdieu, has attracted increasing interest in recent years. Since initial publications in the late 1950s and early 1960s he has demonstrated considerable intellectual rigour and insight in engaging with the main social science debates of the day. The list of topics and themes he has covered takes in most of the major fields of study. However, it is education to which his attention has repeatedly turned, and it is probably in education that his ideas have had the greatest impact.