Cultural sociology

Objective

Cultural sociology analyzes the sectors of production of “symbolic goods”—such as literature, theater, fine arts, and cinema—along with their professionals and their audiences. It also extends to the study of symbolic logics at work in other sectors, from fashion to gastronomy.

Why study culture? This professional world is often at the forefront of transformations in work, and creative activity is becoming widespread across many fields. Culture shapes the boundaries between social groups, and cultural inequalities contribute to social inequalities, often reinforcing them.

The course provides an overview of current research in the field, organized into two main areas:

• The worlds of art: artistic creation, artistic labor markets, and the production of artistic value

• The publics of culture: cultural inequalities, lifestyles, and contemporary transformations in the logics of distinction

Planning

1.    General knowledge in sociology
2.    Introduction to sociological theory
3.    Critical reading of research articles
4.    Introduction. Sociology of artistic creation
5.    Artistic labor markets and professions
6.    The production of artistic value
7.    Cultural policies and legitimacy
8.    Cultural inequalities
9.    The Distinction model and its critiques
10.   A taste for diversity?
11.   Sociology of reception
 

References

Becker, Howard S. 1982. Art Worlds. Berkeley: University of California Press. 
Bourdieu, Pierre. 1979. La distinction. Critique sociale du jugement. Paris, Minuit.
Peterson, Richard A. 1997. “The Rise and Fall of Highbrow Snobbery as a Status Marker.” Poetics. 
Peterson, Richard A., and N. Anand. 2004. “The Production of Culture Perspective.” Annual Review of Sociology 30: 311–34