Habitus is a concept developed by the late French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu, as a 'sense of one's place...a sense of the other's place'. It relates to our perceptions of the positions (or 'place') of ourselves and other people in the world in which we live and how these perceptions affect our actions and interactions with places and people. Habitus implies that a web of complex processes links the physical, the social and the mental. Inspired by this concept, this compelling book brings together leading scholars from interdisciplinary fields to examine ways in which spaces and places are constructed, interpreted and used by different people. This second edition contains updated chapter material, together with an entirely new introduction and revised conclusions which recognise the importance of Bourdieu's work. This publication is a tribute to Pierre Bourdieu's remarkable contribution to the fields of sociology, anthropology, geography, political philosophy and urban planning.
Biography
Professor Jean Hillier is Associate Dean, Sustainability and Urban Planning at RMIT University, Australia, Emma Rooksby is based in the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (an ARC-funded special research centre) at Charles Sturt University, Australia. She is also Visiting Fellow at The University of Melbourne and the Australian National University, Australia.
From the first edition: ’The concept of Habitus stands at the centre of the work of Pierre Bourdieu. It is one of the most important analytic tools in contemporary sociology, yet one of the most frequently misunderstood. This volume offers a welcome occasion for clarification, deeper examination, and new analyses.’ Craig Calhoun, University of New York, USA ’Gathering together the contributions of a group of leading scholars, this book represents an innovative and important application of Bourdieusian theory, showing how space is intertwined with power. The collection also breaks new ground by enquiring closely how durable the Habitus is. In a fresh essay, especially written for this volume, Bourdieu synthesises his earlier research on the historical role of rootless intellectuals, or others whose "misfit Habitus" is productive of fruitful heresies. The volume as a whole thus valuably illuminates the nature of oppositional thought and action, pinpointing especially groups such as migrants, dissident planners or ethnic minorities as bearers of social transformations.’ Bridget Fowler, University of Glasgow, UK ’...it is a significant contribution to those interested in social and political aspects of everyday life in general, and Bourdieu's work in particular.’ Journal of Rural Cooperation ’...this is a rich collection of papers emerging from a diverse range of disciplines, written by social and political theorists, theorists of urban planning and architecture, geographers and philosophers...an eclectic mixture of political and urban planning theory.’ Local Government Studies ’The collection is a valuable one, as much for the individual empirical applications and theoretical extensions as for the inspiration derived from the concept of habitus itself.’ European Journal of Communication
