Is there a model for symbolic revolution? Bourdieu’s theory in Manet and a comparison with a case study: the Generation of 1914 in Spain

Abstract

The courses that Bourdieu dedicates to Manet help to better understand the link between cultural production, political position and social trajectory. Nevertheless, Bourdieu does not always fully clarify his position. In this article, first we will clarify what Bourdieu considers to be a model for symbolic revolutions. To do so, Manet's courses are revisited and their links with Bourdieu’s work in general and, more specifically, with his sociology of philosophy are made explicit. After that, we will examine Bourdieu's assertions about scholasticism or academicism in the sociology of culture, its importance in symbolic revolutions, and how his proposal encourages a specific view on the history of cultural productions, especially the philosophical ones. Then, Bourdieu's model of symbolic revolution will be tested by comparing it with a study with statistical treatment of data in a different and significant historical context: the Generation of ‘14 in Spain. Finally, we will propose some nuances and developments to Bourdieu's model based on the conclusions of that study.