Bourdieu, Pierre

Bourdieu, Pierre (August 1, 1930 - January 23, 2002)

A prominent twentieth century French sociologist and anthropologist, who developed the terminologies of social, cultural, and symbolic capital. Bourdieu’s main subject of interest was power relations, and the impact of historical and social structures on worldview construction and dialogue. He is best known for his book, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste (1984), in which he argues that our tastes are largely influenced by social dynamics including our social position. Bourdieu was a staunch critic of world politics and the media.