Cultural Capital

In early 1960s french sociologist Pierre Bourdieu developed his concept of cultural capital where he said that not only economis factors but also cultural habits and status of the families play an important role in school success. He compared and found similar things in economic and cultural capital and he asserted that 'cultural habits and disproportions comprise a resource capable of generating profit.'

In Bourdieu's opinion cultural capital exists in three forms. It is a skill that can not be separated from it's holder, objects themselves may functiona s a form of cultural capital and also cultural capital exists in an 'institutionalized form'.

Hovewer there are many differences between cultural and economis capital. Cultural capital is considered to be an 'unborn talent'. And because schools transform inherited capital into 'scholastic cultural capital', it is supposed to be an individual achievement.

Also it is mentioned that cultural capital has an impact in sociology. As Bourdieu thinks classes are differentiated 'from one another in terms of the overall volume of capital' or by the ration of economic and cultural capital. Bourdieu indicated that each class has a uniwue range of tastes and it depends on its cultural and economic capital. Those who richer in economic capital for example are tend to be less interested in cultural capital. And these differences of taste Bourdieu termed 'symbolic capital'.