한국 사회에 문화 자본은 존재하는가?

Abstract

Some sociologists argue cultural capital does not exist in Korea because of historical and social uniqueness of the society. I raise a counterargument by contending that in-depth study on cultural capital in Korea is essential in order to understand the underlying structure and the reproduction mechanism of Korean society. In an attempt to find implications on Korean society, I address American studies based on Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital around three subjects: applicability of his theory; correspondency between class and cultural capital; and generation and institutionalization of cultural capital. Around these three subjects, Bourdieu’s theory has critically expanded and become a major part of sociology of culture in America. Then, I summarize Korean studies on cultural capital in the light of the three subjects and demonstrate the importance and the pertinence of researches on cultural capital in Korea. For more active discussions on cultural capital and more appropriate empirical studies, I make three suggestions. Firstly, we need to investigate the forms of cultural capital and their operating mechanism in Korea. In order to do that, we should reconceptualize the concept of cultural capital to make it more extensive and more adaptive. Also, we should interpret the theory of cultural capital in broader context. Secondly, for active empirical studies on cultural capital, we should collect and accumulate data on cultural activities and cultural tastes. Thirdly, with socio-historical perspective, we should perform systematic studies to reveal how western high culture, popular culture, and life style have permeated throughout Korean society and become institutionalized.