ASOK05241U Norbert Elias and Pierre Bourdieu – relational sociology for the 21st century

This innovative course focuses on two of the most prominent relational thinkers in the 20^th century, Norbert Elias and Pierre Bourdieu. First we compare the key concepts in their two different but similar perceptions of relational sociology. Second we look at two of their most famous empirical studies – On The Process of Civilisation and Distinction – to detect differences and similarities. Third we explain how establisher-outsider relationships (relations between education, class, gender and ethnicity) are related to state formation processes. Fourth we discuss how these two sociologists can explain long-term, structural change in complex societies. Finally, we propose an important synthesis by discussing some of the main strengths and weaknesses in each of their approaches.