Literacy and Bourdieu's Sociological Theory: A Reframing

This paper argues that the sociological frameworks developed by Pierre Bourdieu provide a powerful model for understanding the functions and consequences of literacies in the life paths of students. Bourdieu's concepts of 'habitus', 'field' and 'capital' offer a sociological vocabulary for analysis and description of students' literate competences and life trajectories. Implications for educators, administrators, curriculum developers and teacher-educators identified here include the need for broader public discussions and classroom understandings about field-specific social consequences of literacy.