Gender and Class Based Cultural Capital in Education

Pierre Bourdieu

Last weeks reading introduced us to Pierre Bourdieu and his concept of cultural capital.  If we dissect this phrase, cultural capital, cultural refers to societal behaviors and/or ideas, and capital is typically seen as monetary, however it can also be looked at as any sort of an advantage or asset.  According to Bourdieu, cultural capital can exist in more ways than one; it can exist in mind and body, in the form of cultural goods, and in education (Nash, 1990, p.432).  Therefore cultural capital could be something one experienced, possesses, acquires, learned, etc.  Bourdieu also introduced us to class and gender based cultural capital and its’ presence in the education system. 

           
When I think of class and gender based cultural capital in education, I think of one of my peers in high school.  He was in all of the same classes as I was, we came from the same part of town, and both were from middle class families - at a glance you would think we are fairly equal.  He was however the captain of the high school hockey team.  At my high school, hockey was a big deal, but men’s hockey was held in the highest regard and the captain was given celebrity treatment.  His grades were beginning to slip and he faced the risk of being suspended from playing until he was passing all of his classes.  It became quite apparent he was receiving extra attention from the teachers, he was offered private tutoring after hours, and he was also given the option of completing several assignments for additional marks; options were not being offered or shown to other students.   

With his role as the team captain, he appeared to have a noticeable status inside and out of the classroom.  He possessed cultural capital by virtue of his gender and the role he fulfilled on the men’s hockey team, and he also was given a different class from the rest of the student population by virtue of the role he was in.  Both the students and the teachers of my high school fostered this behavior.  The cultural capital he had, encompassed all 3 of the characteristics Bourdieu outlines as a requirement; mind/body, goods, and education (Nash, 1990, p.432).

Bourdieu coined the school system is the most ubiquitous vehicle for social reproduction, meaning certain behaviors amongst specific genders are encouraged and cultivated in school (Nash, 1990, p.435).  In elementary schools for example, it is expected that boys will be rambunctious, energetic and aggressive, whereas girls will be receptive to authority, docile and polite.

I grew up in a very industrial city, where the majority of the population is of the working class.  In my high school, the afternoon elective courses were divided into two separate educational entities.  The students who did very well academically and were seen a high potential were enrolled in advanced placement courses.  These courses were intended to help the students prepare for post secondary education and often provided credits that would count towards their degree.  The remaining students had the option to enroll in a variety of vocational or trade type courses.  Although the courses were available to both genders, boys were encouraged to take classes such as carpentry, automotive and electronics, whereas girls were encouraged to take classes such as home economics, beauty, and child education. 

            Being a mature student who works full time in a corporate business environment, naturally throughout our discussion regarding “capital”, my mind went into business mode.  The more capital a business earns and maintains, the more of an advantage it has over its’ competitors.  A business with strong capital is able to create more innovative products, it is able to expand into untapped markets, and it is able to deliver to its’ customers and its’ shareholders.

            My example of capital in the corporate world can certainly be applied to our reading regarding class and gender based capital in education.  For example, when I first attended university nearly a decade ago, when I applied for a student loan the amount that I was given was determined based on my parent’s annual income.  Although my parent’s income was not astronomical, it certainly was not minimal, therefore a student loan that would cover all of my tuition and books was not granted to me.  As a result, I was required to scale back on the number of courses I would take, as I could not afford to live outside of my means.  It is apparent in this scenario the extent of my initial post secondary education experience was limited by monetary capital. 

It is apparent that much of the research and theorizing Bourdieu completed throughout his career around cultural capital and reproduction can still be found inside the classroom.  Even more interesting, is that regardless of what sort of educational institution you observe, cultural capital will be present in one form or another. 

References

Nash, Roy.  1990.  “Bourdieu on Education and Social and Cultural Reproduction”.  British Journal of Sociology of Education, 11(4): 431-446.