Bourdieu’s Field Theory and the Social Sciences PDF
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Bourdieu’s Field Theory and the Social Sciences Edited by James Albright, Deborah Hartman and Jacqueline Widin Bourdieu’s Field Theory and the Social Sciences James Albright · Deborah Hartman Jacqueline Widin Editors Bourdieu’s Field Theory and the Social Sciences Editors James Albright Deborah Hartman The University of Newcastle The University of Newcastle Callaghan, NSW, Australia Callaghan, NSW, Australia Jacqueline Widin University of Technology Sydney Sydney, NSW, Australia ISBN 978-981-10-5384-9 ISBN 978-981-10-5385-6 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5385-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017947171 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover image: © VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm Cover design: Tom Howey Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore The editors and authors respectfully dedicate this book to the memory and ongoing legacy of the oeuvre of Pierre Bourdieu. “Bourdieu is now the name of a collective research enterprise that crosses the boundaries of disciplines and countries.” Loïc Wacquant, (University of California, Berkeley) Le Monde | 23.01.2012 P reface In conceiving this book, we were encouraged by Bourdieu’s call for researchers in sociology, education, journalism and literature to ‘think in a completely astonished and disconcerted way about things you thought you had always understood’ (Bourdieu 1989, p. 207). We asked ourselves and our contributors to demonstrate what they were able to see differently through the lens of Bourdieu’s field analysis. Pierre Bourdieu is one of the foremost social philosophers and soci- ologists of the twentieth century. There are many books that include some discussion of his key heuristic concepts: field, habitus and capital. However, this book does what no other book does: it highlights the conceptual work at the heart of reflexive sociology. No other book has fully addressed the kind of thinking a researcher has to do to operation- alise Bourdieusian concepts in field analysis. The book’s focus on field theory and practice identifies and fills a gap in current publications; the authors provide examples of analysis of particular fields that are not usually given, for example, surfing, poetry and journalism. The book’s chapters by prominent Bourdieusian scholars and recently graduated and current HDR students offer an extraordinary range of explorations and reflections of undertaking empirical studies utilising field analysis. Bridging commentary from the editorial team, synthesising key insights and challenges researchers face when putting field analysis into practice, links the chapters. vii viii PREFACE This book came about through discussions between Mike Grenfell, an internationally renowned Bourdieu scholar, and the editorial team. Mike was in Sydney for a conference and we discussed the various ways researchers were using Bourdieu’s field analysis in the Australian context. The different projects which came to mind provided a solid basis for a col- lected edition; we were also able to attract interest from Bourdieu schol- ars outside of Australia. The book developed in stages, the first stage was to gather people together in a colloquium held in Sydney where the potential contributors to the book presented their Bourdieu-inspired research and thoughts around field analysis. The colloquium show- cased a broad range of research applying field analysis, by presenters from Europe and the UK (via video links), Denmark, New Zealand along with Australian contributions. It also attracted an audience of researchers and research students interested in field analysis. The second day of the colloquium, a meeting to discuss the possibility of this book, was enthusiastically attended by most presenters. It seemed there were a need and an appetite for producing a book like this. The dedication of the con- tributors for the project has kept us going throughout the editorial process. The chapters offer examples from a diverse range of discipline contexts: cultural studies, poetry, welfare systems, water management, education, journalism and surfing. The chapters and commentaries in this book provide demonstrations of theorising within practical examples of field analysis gathered in one accessible book. The chapters in their different approaches provide examples of how to clearly understand Bourdieu’s field analysis and conduct rigorous and innovative research. In our discussions about the book, we were aware that there are other edited books on Bourdieu’s approach to research; we needed to consider questions such as what contribution to new knowledge will the book make? How could we, as editors, organise the diversity of areas and approaches to using field analysis? How can we make it into a cohesive story? Considering these questions, it was clear that field analysis would be the central topic of the chapters; the editors and contributors all recognised that field analysis is an unappreciated area of Bourdieu’s work and little attention is paid to it, as opposed to his concepts of ‘habitus’ or ‘capital’. Specifically, the authors/contributors wished to address the way we operationalise field analysis and key ideas such as Bourdieu’s ways of thinking about field analysis; the notion of homology; the strengths and limitations of field analysis; the way fields change and interrelate and PREFACE ix ultimately the whole point of field analysis is that one starts asking ques- tions about the field. The book consists of sixteen chapters, with a substantial introduction and concluding chapter and commentary sections introducing the three parts. The chapters are divided into logical sections: the first contains studies which examine field as an object of study; in the second, the chapters address Bourdieu’s key concepts of struggle, positioning and legitimacy/illegitimacy; and in the third, the authors work with extensions of Bourdieu’s concepts. In each chapter, the author(s) address the way that field theory was used to examine the dynamics and relationships in the fields under study. The chapters spe- cifically address what Bourdieu’s field analysis allowed the researchers to see that they may not have otherwise identified. In some chapters, the authors describe how they worked with additional theories to extend their analysis of the field. The author’s application of field analysis differed according to their field of study and the researcher’s orienta- tion; the book allows for varied emphases within Bourdieu’s field theory and it makes connection between different practices. A question that we wanted to focus on was how do different researchers within their unique settings and resources make sense of their fields in different practical studies? The book also wanted to attend to what one can and cannot do with using Bourdieu’s field analysis? Chapters by Nash, Maton, Brook and Albright and Hartman describe how Bourdieu’s field analysis is extended by including other analytical frameworks. In Maton’s case, it was the addition of Legitimation Code Theory, Albright and Hartman used critical discourse analysis as another heuristic device. Brook explored the possibilities of connecting Bourdieusian field theorising with post-Foucauldian governmentality studies. A feature of the book is the way that it draws the diversity of the fields and the methodological approaches together. The illuminating introduc- tion by Jim Albright and Deborah Hartman and the likewise meticulous attention to the Bourdieu’s theoretical categories in the concluding chap- ter by Mike Grenfell bookend the chapters focusing on particular fields. The book will be useful to undergraduate and postgraduate schol- ars and researchers who are currently working with Bourdieusian methods or who would like to understand ways to do so. Bourdieu is widely known in cultural studies and education, particularly in Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. His approaches are increasingly x PREFACE being taken up in health, social work, anthropology, family studies, jour- nalism, communication studies and other disciplines where an analysis of the interplay between individuals and social structures is relevant. In addition to a general academic market, this book and chapters within it could be widely used in research methodology courses at postgraduate level. We believe that this book has something useful for all Bourdieusian scholars. Whether the reader is interested in specific applications of field theory in their own field or particular methodological aspects of the application of field theory, the chapters in each section reveal the think- ing and actions that researchers utilising field theory must embark upon. This is both the challenge and the joy of thinking like Bourdieu. Callaghan, Australia James Albright Callaghan, Australia Deborah Hartman Sydney, Australia Jacqueline Widin reference Bourdieu, P. (1989). Language and symbolic power. (G. Raymond & M. Adamson, Trans.). Cambridge: Polity Press. a cknowledgements The editors would like to thank the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Newcastle for their financial and administra- tive support and encouragement for the intellectual development that occurred in the Colloquium Beyond the fields we know. We gratefully acknowledge all of the contributors to that colloquium in January 2013, which started the journey of this book. Sandris Zeivots documented the outcomes of the second day of the colloquium, and Geoff Evans skilfully facilitated the conversations that led to the shaping of this book. Terry Fitzgerald provided final proofreading support and helped us enormously in organising the manuscript for submission to Palgrave. The impetus for the colloquium was the possibility that celebrated Bourdieusian scholar Mike Grenfell would deliver a keynote and contribute to the discussions at the colloquium. Unfortunately, Mike was ill and could not travel. His paper was read by Scott Brook on the day. We are very grateful that Mike continued his involvement in the project and contributed the important afterword chapter of the book. Thinking like Bourdieu, in all aspects of life, is challenging. The edi- tors would like to acknowledge and thank all of our mentors, collabora- tors, family and friends who continue to inspire and challenge us to step beyond the fields we know into unmapped intellectual and social terrains. James Albright Deborah Hartman Jacqueline Widin xi
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