The Forms of Capital
1986 · Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education
Overview
A source for Bourdieu's account of capital forms, accumulation, and conversion.
Core Question
How do economic, cultural, social, and symbolic resources accumulate and convert?
Central Argument
The value and conversion of resources are relational and field dependent.
Theoretical Contribution
Supports capital conversion and the Bourdieu tradition of social capital without merging it with other traditions.
Theory Relationships
- Practice Theory (Bourdieu) — core concept source
- Social Capital Theory — tradition source
Reading Focus
- Specify which capital form and field-specific recognition are at issue.
- Keep Bourdieu's social-capital formulation distinct from Coleman or Lin.
Legal Access Path
- Open the authoritative bibliographic record — Use the linked publisher, DOI, university, journal, library, or institutional record to locate lawful access through a library or the rights holder.
Sources & verification
- VerifiedThe linked record verifies this work's bibliographic details and lawful access route. — Bourdieu, P. (1986). The Forms of Capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education.
- Editorially ReviewedThe central argument, theoretical contribution, relationship, and reading emphasis are bounded Syntag editorial syntheses, not quotations or claims of universal consensus.
- Research GuidanceReading priorities should be adapted to the research question, prior knowledge, access, and disciplinary guidance.
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