Habitus

Abstract

At the time of his death on January 23, 2002, Pierre Bourdieu was considered by many to be the most influential intellectual in France. One of Bourdieu's key theoretical ideas was habitus, a central component in his theory of an economy of practices that recognized how social conditions shape, influence, and inhibit individuals and social structures in society. Habitus is a system of lasting, transposable dispositions that integrate past experiences and function as a matrix of perceptions, appreciations, and actions. These dispositions are shaped by social conditions (e.g., family background, employment, education) and are socially reproduced. Although they may be long‐lasting, these dispositions are not unchangeable, and can be eroded, modified, or even reversed through pedagogic effort, new experiences, education, or training.