Bourdieu, Habitus and Field

“In this innovative and rigorously researched rethinking of Bourdieu’s conceptual tool-kit, Sadiya Akram develops a rich, nuanced analysis that develops and expands on Bourdieu’s thinking in exciting new ways. Starting with Bhaskar’s critical realism, and weaving a compelling empirical case study of institutional racism into her account, Akram generatively fleshes out a Bourdieusian conception of social reality for the 21st century”. —Diane Reay, Professor of Education, University of Cambridge, UK “This book takes Bourdieu's thought in new directions. Deftly deploying the lens of critical realism, Akram allows us to reinterpret Bourdieu’s insights into institutions, habits, and fields. This is a must read for anyone interested in Pierre Bourdieu’s lasting legacy in social theory.” —Professor Julian Go, Professor of Sociology, University of Chicago, USA This innovative book argues that establishing an ontological framework makes a substantial difference to Pierre Bourdieu’s core concepts of habitus and field. In doing so it addresses the charges of determinism, tautology, and circularity that have long been directed at habitus and field. Teasing out Bourdieu’s ontology, the book offers a novel critical realist reading of Bourdieu, arguing that while Bourdieu explored the epistemological basis of his key concepts, he neglects their ontological underpinnings, and that elaborating on this adds a layer of depth and complexity which enriches Bourdieu’s project. In addition to articulating the synergies between Roy Bhaskar’s critical realism and Bourdieu’s oeuvre, this book extends Bourdieu’s insights in new and exciting directions by developing an ontologically informed Bourdieusian account of institutions as explored through the lens of institutional racism and by outlining a unique methodological approach to habitus. Sadiya Akram is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Sadiya’s research is concerned with race and racism, concepts of agency and political mobilisation. The socio-political thought of Pierre Bourdieu is a focal point of her work.