Cultural capital

Definition

Cultural capital refers to the non-financial social assets that promote social mobility beyond economic means. This includes knowledge, skills, education, and any advantages a person has that can influence their social status. The concept highlights how cultural resources, such as language and educational background, shape one's opportunities in society, linking closely to how power dynamics operate in various contexts.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cultural capital can manifest in various forms, including linguistic abilities, manners, tastes in art or music, and knowledge about cultural norms.
2. Individuals with high cultural capital often have an advantage in educational settings as they are more likely to understand and navigate the implicit rules of these environments.
3. Pierre Bourdieu popularized the term 'cultural capital' in the 1980s, arguing that it helps to reproduce social inequalities across generations.
4. Access to cultural capital is often tied to one's family background, leading to disparities in educational success and career opportunities.
5. In educational contexts, cultural capital can influence teacher expectations and student outcomes, often privileging students who align with dominant cultural norms.

Review Questions

• How does cultural capital influence social mobility and access to education?
  • Cultural capital plays a significant role in shaping social mobility by providing individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in educational settings. Students who possess cultural capital are often better equipped to navigate the academic environment, understand unwritten rules, and engage effectively with teachers. This advantage can lead to higher educational achievements and opportunities that might not be available to those lacking such cultural resources.
• Discuss the relationship between cultural capital and symbolic power within educational institutions.
  • Cultural capital is closely tied to symbolic power because those who hold certain cultural resources often determine what is considered valuable knowledge within educational institutions. This dynamic creates a hierarchy where students with dominant cultural capital are more likely to succeed, while those from different backgrounds may be marginalized. The power structures inherent in education thus reflect broader societal inequalities rooted in cultural access.
• Evaluate the implications of cultural capital on societal inequality and how it perpetuates cycles of privilege.
  • Cultural capital has significant implications for societal inequality as it often reinforces existing power dynamics. Individuals with access to high levels of cultural capital are more likely to achieve academic success, which translates into better job opportunities and higher social status. This cyclical nature of privilege means that families with cultural capital tend to pass it down through generations, thus maintaining social stratification and limiting upward mobility for those without similar advantages.

Related terms

social capital: The networks of relationships among people in a society that enable cooperation and provide support and resources.

symbolic power:

The ability to impose meanings and create reality through cultural and linguistic practices, often leading to the dominance of certain groups over others.

habitus: A system of dispositions ingrained by social conditions that shape an individual's perceptions, thoughts, and actions.