Social Class: Difference in Achievement

Sociology: AQA A Level, topic 2.2.4

Studies on Difference in Achievement: Bourdieu

Bourdieu (1971, 1974) argues that cultural inferiority is not the reason why the working classes perform less well in education.

He develops a Marxist approach and locates educational inequalities within a capitalist society. As such, he argues that the role of the education system is cultural reproduction.
That is, the education system reproduces the culture of the dominant or ruling capitalist class. He argues that education is biased in favour of the middle classes as they share similar norms and values to these higher social groups.

Bourdieu argues that by having knowledge and experience of the dominant culture, upper- and middle-class children possess what he calls ‘cultural capital’ or a cultural advantage.
Examples of cultural capital include certain language norms; cultural activities such as visiting the museum and reading literature.
That is, middle-class children are more likely to share aspects of high culture, whereas working class children do not always have access to such cultural practices and knowledge. As such, they are disadvantaged in the education system.

Bourdieu goes further and argues that the education system is designed to maintain class inequalities rather than provide equal opportunities for all.