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A 4 page research paper that discusses these two sociologists. Talcott Parsons and Pierre Bourdieu are two of the leading sociologists of the last century. This examination looks at the theoretical orientation of both sociologists, with a particular focus on socialization forces. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
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4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khparbour.rtf
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cultural in origin (Swartz 62S). In his theory, the family is central to the processes of socialization. For example, Bourdieu hypothesized the existence of class fractions, which serve to convey
the aesthetic preferences of parents to their children; and, in so doing, convey their preferences concerning a variety of goods and services. Bourdieu indicates that "symbolic goods, especially those regarded
as (having) the attributes of excellence" constitute the "ideal weapon in strategies of distinction" (Bourdieu 66). In other words, preferences in art, style, clothing, home d?cor are engrained early
in childhood by the socialization processes in the family environment and these differences in "cultural capital mark the differences between the classes" (Bourdieu 69). As this indicates, Bourdieu believes that
cultural capital trumps both social capital and economic capital, which are acquired slowly over time, as both of these other factors are built upon the legacy of cultural capital, which
is acquired in early childhood. His theory suggests that what we like to eat, what we prefer in art, and enjoy in terms of entertainment, all come from early socialization
and are indicative of social class. Additionally, Bourdieu agrees with Weber that social behavior goes beyond how people function within the realm of socioeconomic classes. Therefore, rather than discussing
social behavior solely in terms of social classes, Bourdieus writing refers to the concept of fields, which he defined as specific social areas in which people negotiate and compete
against one another in order to achieve desired goals. Bourdieus writing is particularly concerned with the role of habit, or habitus, in behavior. Bourdieus idea of habitus is founded on
the concept that people at "strategically and practically rather than as conformist to an external set of formal rules" (Swartz 62S). He defines habitus in terms of disposition, that is,
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