CULTURAL CAPITAL | External factors for class differences in education

What is cultural capital?

Cultural capital refers to the knowledge, attitudes, values, language and abilities of the middle class and how it can lead to educational success.

What sociologist can be linked closely with cultural capital?

Pierre Bourdieu

What is Bourdieu’s theory regarding cultural capital?

Bourdieu’s three types of capital

What are the three types of capital?

• Cultural capital

• Educational capital

• Economic capital

What is cultural capital in the eyes of Bourdieu? Who does it benefit and why?

Bourdieu sees middle class culture as a type of capital is it gives an advantage to those who posses it. He argues that through middle class socialisation, children acquire the ability to grasp, analyse and express abstract ideas which results in a deeper understanding in what the education system requires for them to succeed.

This then gives middle class children an advantage over working class children in school.

What is educational capital?

Educational capital refers to the qualifications, knowledge and skills that people accumulate through the education system and rewarding the cultural capital capital of the middle class while disadvantaging the working class.

What is economic capital?

Bourdieu views economic capital as financial resources, wealth and assets that families posses that allows them to succeed in education over the working class as they will be able to afford all the necessities for school as well as external factors like tutors which leave the working class disadvantaged.

Educational, cultural and economic capital being converted into one another when looking at educational success.

Bourdieu argues that children with cultural capital are better equipped to meet the demands of education and the curriculum and as a result, gain qualifications. This is similar to how individuals who are inside of a wealthy family can convert their economic capital into educational success and then how students who have educational capital are able to get good jobs and convert it into economic capital.

This leaves poor families or working class families disadvantaged in school once again.