Essay 3: Question#1-The Concept of Habitus

Essay 3: Question#1-The Concept of Habitus

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Essay 3: Question#1-The Concept of Habitus

Bourdieu defines habitus as a set of socially acquired actors that influence the

2016). Internalized dispositions of habitus are socially transferable and influence the

Various examples illustrate that people with the same socio-cultural backgrounds

share the same habits that shape an individual's social actions and behaviours. When a child

is born in a family that places high value on education, the child will most likely develop a

habitus that includes positive attitudes toward education. The internalized dispositions will

influence the child's behaviour and perceptions of education related to real-life situations. The

child is likely to have persistent efforts that will ensure academic excellence and seek

opportunities for advancement in education later in life.

Another example is where a musician adopts inherent habits influenced by years of

training, experience, and involvement in musical culture. The physical-corporal habitus that

the musician will adopt includes handling musical instruments, coordinating body

movements, and maintaining posture. On the other hand, the musician will adopt cultural

habits associated with the specific music genre performed. The cognitive habitus of the

musician will be shaped by years of practice, reading and knowledge associated with the

music genre of interest. According to Bourdieu, an individual's inherent habits and skills are

shaped by individual past experiences, perceptions, cultural context, and actions.

Education

Habitus play a significant role in creating and perpetuating inequality between people

on Secondary School students in Luxembourg to investigate the academic habitus to family

multifaceted understanding of students' disposition of habitus in learning.

The research findings predicted students' habitus types using patterns of social

advantages and disadvantages (De Moll et al., 2023). Family cultural capital was used to

determine family rank in the social hierarchy. The findings justified the Bourdieu socio-

cultural theory that family and cultural backgrounds shape individual students' behaviors,

skills and styles in learning (De Moll et al., 2023). Students from affluent families have

access to cultural capabilities. Such students are likely to be exposed to a wide range of

educational experiences that shape knowledge acquisition, academic performance, the

exploration of individual abilities, and better job opportunities.

Economic

Socio-cultural habitus transmitted through family and social institutions reinforces

access to cultural capital and social structures. Children from affluent families are in a

position to access better socio and cultural capital, which provides a foundation for access to

better life and opportunities. Individuals with a stable socio-economic capital background

have social networks and connections that influence their access to opportunities and

with solid capital are likely to pursue high-risk career courses associated with high returns

and better chances for career advancement. On the other hand, individuals from a family

Social

of societies indicates the heterogeneous nature of contemporary societies and the complex

nature of societal fragmentation at different historical times. Historical studies indicate social

segregation among different classes, including laborers, capitalists, middle-class and petty

traders (Rehbein, 2020). Understanding the modern-day perpetuation of socio-inequality is

best explained by reviewing historical access to socio-cultural resources and amenities.

Habitus in society is passed from one generation to the other in form of cultural resources and

capital, resulting in difficulty changing from one social class to the next. Individuals from a

social background with access to social capital are likely to be self-confident, have higher

aspirations in life and are likely to pursue prestigious career courses compared to individuals

from a lower socio-cultural background.

Political

Habitus perpetuates political inequalities by shaping individuals' access to knowledge,

representation, formulation of policies and entry behavior to politics. Individuals from high

socio-economic backgrounds can access political knowledge that influences their perceptions

of parties' political agendas (Rehbein, 2020). Such individuals are likely to endorse and vote

connections with politicians, the interests of individuals from high socio-economic

backgrounds are likely to be represented in policy formulations. The interests of marginalized

Greta Gerwig is an example of a media personality whose fame and performance in

September 2024 due to exceptional leadership, philanthropic efforts, service to the

community and appealing performance in the film industry (Bechera, 2024). Greta's

accumulation of cultural capital is attributed to a detailed background in character

development, improvisational acting and distinctive story telling.

Gerwig was brought up in River Park Estate, a socially affluent neighborhood with

access to quality social infrastructures. Her socio-capital family background allowed Gerwig

to attend prestigious academic institutions, which exposed her to diverse intellectual

experiences (Bechera, 2024). Cultural background and family upbringing significantly

shaped her cognitive abilities and disposition of a set of habitus acquired through

socialization and experience. Since an early age, Gerwig had access to cultural resources such

as books, influential contacts, theatre, and literature engagements, which are critical in

developing exceptional cinematography and media performance skills.

Access to prestigious educational institutions allowed Gerwig to network, which

enabled her to make significant progress in the film industry. Film achievements have

enabled her to earn distinguished honors and awards in the recent past. The awards have

acted as a source of cultural capital for Greta Gerwig's cinematography career, resulting in

increased popularity, recognition and fame. -

life. Habitus provides a theoretical framework that explains social inequality in society in

Bechara,-D.-R. (2024, July 18).-Greta Gerwig to receive pioneer of the year award from the

family capital: A latent class approach to inequalities among secondary school

Rehbein,-B. (2020). Social Inequality and

Sociocultures.-http://dx.doi.org/10.17502/m.rcs.v8i1.331

Segre,-S. (2016). Pierre Bourdieu (1930–2002). In-Contemporary sociological thinkers and

theories. Routledge.