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Habitus: An Attempt at a Thorough Analysis of a Controversial Concept in Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice

Received: 28 July 2014    Accepted: 15 August 2014    Published: 20 August 2014
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Abstract

This work focuses on the approach to and analysis of the concept of habitus, and on tracing its relationship to the concept of practice within the framework of Pierre Bourdieu’s ‘theory of practice’. Based on these determinants, we attempted a thorough approach to the concept of habitus. Within the context of epistemological clarification we considered it essential to draw attention to its genealogy and the course of its development. Bearing in mind too the large number of discussions the controversial concept of habitus has provoked in the field of social sciences, we attempted to make reference to the most important relevant critical approaches. In the article’s concluding observations, the concept’s indisputable contribution to and influence on the field of social sciences is demonstrated, as is the notion that Pierre Bourdieu’s constructed concept of habitus attempts to put an end to fundamental divisions in sociology such as: objectivism-subjectivism, individual-society, conscious-unconscious.

DOI 10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13
Published in Social Sciences (Volume 3, Issue 4, August 2014)
Page(s) 121-131
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Habitus, Bourdieu, Theory of Practice

References
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Author Information
  • Department of Primary Education, University Campus, University of Patras, 265.04 Rio Patras, Greece

  • Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education, University Campus, University of Patras, 265.04 Rio Patras, Greece

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    Anna Asimaki, Gerasimos Koustourakis. (2014). Habitus: An Attempt at a Thorough Analysis of a Controversial Concept in Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice. Social Sciences, 3(4), 121-131. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13

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    Anna Asimaki; Gerasimos Koustourakis. Habitus: An Attempt at a Thorough Analysis of a Controversial Concept in Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice. Soc. Sci. 2014, 3(4), 121-131. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13

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    Anna Asimaki, Gerasimos Koustourakis. Habitus: An Attempt at a Thorough Analysis of a Controversial Concept in Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice. Soc Sci. 2014;3(4):121-131. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13,
      author = {Anna Asimaki and Gerasimos Koustourakis},
      title = {Habitus: An Attempt at a Thorough Analysis of a Controversial Concept in Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice},
      journal = {Social Sciences},
      volume = {3},
      number = {4},
      pages = {121-131},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20140304.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20140304.13},
      abstract = {This work focuses on the approach to and analysis of the concept of habitus, and on tracing its relationship to the concept of practice within the framework of Pierre Bourdieu’s ‘theory of practice’. Based on these determinants, we attempted a thorough approach to the concept of habitus. Within the context of epistemological clarification we considered it essential to draw attention to its genealogy and the course of its development. Bearing in mind too the large number of discussions the controversial concept of habitus has provoked in the field of social sciences, we attempted to make reference to the most important relevant critical approaches. In the article’s concluding observations, the concept’s indisputable contribution to and influence on the field of social sciences is demonstrated, as is the notion that Pierre Bourdieu’s constructed concept of habitus attempts to put an end to fundamental divisions in sociology such as: objectivism-subjectivism, individual-society, conscious-unconscious.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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    AB  - This work focuses on the approach to and analysis of the concept of habitus, and on tracing its relationship to the concept of practice within the framework of Pierre Bourdieu’s ‘theory of practice’. Based on these determinants, we attempted a thorough approach to the concept of habitus. Within the context of epistemological clarification we considered it essential to draw attention to its genealogy and the course of its development. Bearing in mind too the large number of discussions the controversial concept of habitus has provoked in the field of social sciences, we attempted to make reference to the most important relevant critical approaches. In the article’s concluding observations, the concept’s indisputable contribution to and influence on the field of social sciences is demonstrated, as is the notion that Pierre Bourdieu’s constructed concept of habitus attempts to put an end to fundamental divisions in sociology such as: objectivism-subjectivism, individual-society, conscious-unconscious.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 4
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