Understanding Cultural Capital: Definition and Importance in Sociology
Introduction
Cultural capital is a concept that is gaining increasing recognition in the world of sociology, referring to the intangible assets possessed by individuals or groups by way of their cultural knowledge, skills, and preferences. It is not necessarily about the material possessions that one has, but the cultural knowledge and skills that they possess that enable them to interact with society and navigate their way through it. In this article, we will explore the meaning of cultural capital, its different types, and its significance in various social contexts.
What is Cultural Capital?
Cultural capital can be broadly defined as the set of knowledge, skills, and abilities that individuals gain through cultural exposure and experience. It encompasses cultural behaviors such as language, music, art, literature, and even food. It is through cultural capital that individuals are able to engage and interact with society, shaping their attitudes and beliefs, and shaping their identities.
Types of Cultural Capital
There are three distinct types of cultural capital; embodied, objectified and institutionalized.
Embodied Cultural Capital refers to the personal knowledge, tastes, habits, and mannerisms that individuals acquire through their socialization and life experiences. For instance, a person could have a natural talent for playing the piano, or have learned to speak several languages through exposure to different language cultures. Embodied cultural capital requires time, investment, effort, and experience to acquire.
Objectified Cultural Capital pertains to the material objects or possessions that one owns and demonstrates their cultural capital. Examples include books, artwork, antiques, musical instruments, and artwork. Owning these objects indicates a person’s cultural taste and refinement, indicating that one belongs to a certain social class.
Institutionalized Cultural Capital refers to the formal recognition of cultural knowledge, which is primarily linked to educational competence and qualifications. For example, level of education, degree, diploma, language proficiency, and so on.
Importance of Cultural Capital in Society
Cultural capital is vitally important in society because of its role in shaping social class recognition and social mobility. It is through cultural capital that individuals acquire the means to social mobility, i.e., moving from one social class to another. For people from lower social classes, educational attainment and qualifications are important in acquiring institutionalized cultural capital, which then facilitates social mobility based on merit rather than just one’s social background.
Additionally, cultural capital also helps in the creation and preservation of cultural heritage and tradition by identifying and recognizing the value of cultural content. It provides a platform for cultural exchange and appreciation among different groups, as people can build relations and cultural ties on the basis of shared cultural knowledge.
Examples of Cultural Capital
Consider the case of two individuals, one who went to an Ivy League school and one who attended a state university. Although both individuals may possess the same level of knowledge and skill, the person who went to an Ivy League school would have heightened institutionalized social capital because of their school’s reputation.
Another example of cultural capital is the ownership of artwork. Someone who can afford to purchase well-known artwork from elite galleries may be viewed as having more cultural refinement compared to someone who cannot afford such artwork.
In Conclusion, cultural capital is an important concept in sociology, encompassing not only material wealth and assets, but also non-material cultural knowledge and social capital. It is important to recognize the various types of cultural capital and their roles in shaping individual’s social status and interaction with society. Finally, the acquisition of cultural capital is not automatic but requires time, investment, effort, and experience to gain and develop.
