Outline of a Theory of PracticeOutline of a Theory of Practice is recognized as a major theoretical text on the foundations of anthropology and sociology. Pierre Bourdieu, a distinguished French anthropologist, develops a theory of practice which is simultaneously a critique of the methods and postures of social science and a general account of how human action should be understood. With his central concept of the habitus, the principle which negotiates between objective structures and practices, Bourdieu is able to transcend the dichotomies which have shaped theoretical thinking about the social world. The author draws on his fieldwork in Kabylia (Algeria) to illustrate his theoretical propositions. With detailed study of matrimonial strategies and the role of rite and myth, he analyses the dialectical process of the 'incorporation of structures' and the objectification of habitus, whereby social formations tend to reproduce themselves. A rigorous consistent materialist approach lays the foundations for a theory of symbolic capital and, through analysis of the different modes of domination, a theory of symbolic power. |
Contents
THE OBJECTIVE LIMITS OF OBJECTIVISM | 1 |
From the mechanics of the model to the dialectic of strategies | 3 |
From the rules of honour to the sense of honour | 10 |
Practice and discourse about practice | 16 |
The fallacies of the rule | 22 |
Case study parallelcousin marriage | 30 |
The state of the question | 32 |
official kin and practical kin | 33 |
GENERATIVE SCHEMES AND PRACTICAL LOGIC INVENTION WITHIN LIMITS | 96 |
The calendar and the synoptic illusion | 97 |
Economy of logic | 109 |
cosmogonic practice | 114 |
Union and separation | 124 |
Thresholds and rites of passage | 130 |
Reunion of contraries and denial | 132 |
Making use of indeterminacy | 140 |
Officializing strategies | 38 |
Collective beliefs and white lies | 43 |
The ordinary and the extraordinary | 52 |
Matrimonial strategies and social reproduction | 58 |
STRUCTURES AND THE HABITUS | 72 |
Structures habitus and practices | 78 |
The dialectic of objectification and embodiment | 87 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
action agents agnatic alliances analysis anthropologist azal berkukes biological reproduction bridewealth bring brothers challenge collective constituted constructed corvée couscous cross cousin cultural daughter defined discourse dispositions division domination economic endogamy example exchange fact fecundation female field figs function genealogical gift give habitus harvest hence homology husum individual interests Kabyle Kabylia khammes kinship labour lakhrif land language Leibniz Letourneux lineage linguistic logic lyali magic male marabout marry material and symbolic matrimonial means mechanisms mythic nature objectification objective structures objectivist official opposed opposition parallel cousin parallel-cousin marriage particular period ploughing point of honour political polysemy position possible prestige principle relations relationship representation reproduction riposte rites ritual rule schemes season sense simply situation social world societies strategies symbolic capital symbolic violence tends theoretical things tradition universe universe of discourse village wheatcake winter woman women