Pierre Bourdieu on European identity: Theories of habitus & cultural capital
Social and Political Review, (2010)Abstract
This essay will argue that Pierre Bourdieu’s theories of habitus and cultural capital explain not only how but why there has been a move towards a European identity. Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and cultural capital can help us gain a greater understanding of both why this identity is desirable and how one should attempt to construct it. This essay will begin by exploring the primary site of the creation of identity, the school, and its value in the history of EU policy-making. Thereafter, I will discuss Bourdieu’s theory of habitus itself, and how it may be applied in policy-making, particularly in the areas of crossnational exchange trips and teacher-training. Thirdly, I will move on to a second relevant element of Bourdieu’s thinking, that is, the different forms of capital which he describes. His theories are certainly not mutually exclusive, and are somewhat circular in their relationship to each other, as will be seen throughout the essay. Finally, I will argue that the creation of this cross national identity is important both for the continued success of the European Union project and for the economy.