Cultural Capital and Social Capital - Essay Example

? Cultural Capital and Social Capital? Theories Cultural Capital and Social Capital? Theories Bowles and Gintis (2002) maintain that, both cultural and social capitals are important aspect within the field of sociology. Social capital is defined as a sociological concept, which relates to connection between and within social networks. Usually, this concept widely outlines the role of confidence and cooperation as well as social relation to get economic and collective results. Further, the notion created in social capital is useful in debating about civil society, which is considered central to the arguments created by Robert Putnam and all other who are in the forefront of reclaiming public life. On the other hand, cultural capital largely refers to non-financial social assets. These assets may be either intellectual or educational which in turn may widely promote social mobility beyond any form of economic means. The concept of cultural capital gained renowned popularity when Pierre Bourdieu initially initiated it. For Pierre, capital is perceived to act as a social relation within a definable system of exchange (Bowles and Gintis, 2002). As developed by Pierre Bourdieu, the Cultural capital theory gives an analysis of the consequences of disinterested habits, which include the appreciation of artwork. The theory maintains that people accumulate sets of cultural resources and implicit competencies as in the socialization process into the assigned class stratum. The embodied and crystallized acquaintance and the ability to be able to correctly consume the cultural objects is believed to operate in a form of social currency that in return can be transformed into social and material resources and benefits. Bourdieu further argues that it is almost impossible to give an explanation on the social world’s functioning and structure if capital is only introduced in one form and not in all forms as recognized by the economic theory (Bourdieu, 1984). The theory emphasizes that any type of competence becomes an asset in form of capital for as long as it foresees the appropriation of the cultural heritage of a society. However, it is unequally distributed thus offering opportunities would witness exclusive advantages. To the proponent, cultural capital is in three forms. To begin with, cultural capital is a skill or competence in its embodied form and cannot be taken away or separated from the bearer. This implies that the acquisition of cultural capital requires the need to be devoted into activities that will build the skills and knowledge. Cultural capital may also act and exist in the form of the objects. This could happen if the objects in themselves presuppose a particular amount of cultural capital that is embodied in it if they are used. The cultural capital can also take an institutional form especially in the societies based on formal education (Eyal, 1998). This relates well with the architectural designs of Dubai, which is struggling to find its way in the gulf, a place that already established cultural traditions with innovation knacks. Dubai is well known for its capital acquisition as well as its relationship with the vital players of the region. The city is a primary social capital example as it displays a power that is symbolic where the city quests to manifest its strength, cohesiveness, and size for a visible existence. The cities sky scrapers; glamour and glitz are relied upon by the architecture and the city’s overall image, which are viewed as the literal symbols of its supremacy as a megalopolis of the present day. The symbolic capital is not based on the market price but around the value that is placed on it by the owner. Despite the city’s architectural design being a profit plan for the Gulf region its main role revolves around the attention it will receive as a postmodern marvel and a locale that is westernized. The analysis of the region is to be based on the non-material and material capital forms. The architectural designs of the city could be viewed as capital forms that are housing businesses that are expected to accrue capital. This implies that the city thrives on capital that serves as social world’s immanent structures (Eyal, 1998). The city is based on the cultural capital theory as it strongly founds its image on buildings that are unique from the rest of the world. This also involves the businesses that are transacted in the unique buildings. This is despite the fact that the country is of a cultural conservative history based on religious values. The Dubai city holds more values than its creators do a view that is echoed by the cultural theorists who argue that any capital form can be converted and viewed as economic capital. The buildings thus collect a lot of revenue for the region as the economic activities that are transacted in the buildings are of high economic value. The capital’s economy and recognition heavily relies on the uniquely designed buildings that are able to hold many economic activities at the same time. The designs are expected to boost the revenue as they attract persons who come to view the beautiful architectural scenery and those who will be interested in transacting businesses in them. The designing of the buildings is also expected to have economic and lucrative returns to the architects. Emphasis is also given to the old traditions as the interior architectural designs are founded on the Arabic traditions. Such are able to attract revenues as persons come to view their exemplary designs. It is for this reason that the city maintains the traditions amid the postmodern growth (Svendsen and Tinggaard, 2003). This implies that the Dubai economy is based on the cultural capital theory for existence. Particular emphasis of the region is based on the kind and type of name that is to be given to structures or building with recent examples of the Burj Khlifa towers, which is believed to have its status as the tallest high rise building in the world. It is named after the United Arabs Emirate’s president who is also the emir of Abu Dhabi Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Despite the country not being mentioned in the cultural capital theory, it is a region that has since gained popularity for the analysis of the theory and art appreciation as the area is evident of a Bourdieuconomics of the present day (Irvine, 2009). The city not only is a sign for it to be associated with the postmodern age but also is in itself an all-inclusive village where races, culture, capital and other products intertwine forming a hybrid city of a status to behold. The city and its economic growth have been described as being way beyond the people that are around it. The architectural design of the city was a risk, as the citizens did not have the ability to recognize the hyperspace that was being erected around them. Despite it being known by its innovations, the city, and the region has still maintained the status of its old traditions and way of doing things. Barbara, et al (1999) asserts that, social capital theories are mainly concern with effect of fragmentation and social change that are normally set out to widely explain effects and motivations of social interaction and action not forgetting their contribution to economic growth and social cohesion. Social capital theorists Putnam and Coleman with their focus on networks and values are considered the mainstream of the theory whereas Bourdieu represents a critical wing, which brings issues of social injustices and inequality into picture. Coleman rational model view the function of social capital as shared norms and values that are used in underpinning and sustaining social order (Barbara, et al 1999). Putnam on the other side indicates that social capital focuses on social networks and the role it displays in cooperative action and mutual obligation. The theory displayed by Bourdieu indicates that social capital maintains and supports inequalities, which exist within capitalists’ society. Beugelsdijk and Smulders (2004) maintain that, in relation to Art and museums, social capital theory have a wide multi-dimensional concept where individual who are from different artwork benefit from maintaining interactions with each other. For instance, individual from United Arabs Emirates can be involved in social organization by way of reciprocity, participation, and building of trust to ensure maximum facilitation of these mutual benefits. As the Australian arts researcher Deirdre Williams indicate that community arts and museum need to embrace positive role in improving economic performance through strategic and employment opportunities, develop proper human capital and widely activating social change in support of growth in art and museums, so does the UAE need to adapt this. Pierre indicates that social capital is a neutral resource where his work shows that within art and museum development, it can be used to practically reproduce or produce inequality in instances where people are able to gain access to powerful position, which either tend to indirectly or directly employ social interactions (Beugelsdijkand Smulders, 2004). On the other hand, Robert Putnam argues that social capital with art and museum context should be used to have a broader societal measure of communal artwork. He further gives a transformation of social capital from that resource which is handled by individual to an aspect of collectives’ communal artwork, which focuses on trust and norms as producer of social capital within the art and museum context (Beugelsdijk and Smulders, 2004). It is evident that within UAE, enshrining art within the culture of temples, concert hall and museum have lost the touch of art spirit. This is because most individuals have widely specialized in some aspects of art at an expense of participating in natural arts. According to Knack and Keefer (1997), social capital indicates that art can be used and become a valuable engine of community civil renewal. This therefore requires the UAE to direct its substantial resource to integrating social capital and arts (Knack and Keefer, 1997). It is quite evidence that through engaging in arts, social capital can be nurtured through helping and strengthening communities to celebrate and understand their heritage as well as ensuring that a safe platform is provided to solve and discuss social problems. Leah (2000) maintain that, whether producers, filmmakers, performers and spectators, it is evident that arts provide a ground which uniquely provides an enjoyable way that will build our stock of a definable informal capital. For instance, when two people attend an art exhibition and later meet and discuss the exhibition over a cup of coffee evidently, social capital is strongly built by way of shared artistic experience. Putman to build a positive indicator of social capital, it is important to have shared interests and agreement among shareholders and actors to induce collective action. This therefore acts as an indicator, which increases social capital (Leah, 2000). It is quite notable that if art and museum are used to strengthen social capital there are three distinct principles that should guide that work. Monnie and Joni (1998) assert that, these principles call out for attention to delicate balance between roles, which are played by both art, and cultural institutions such as museum within a democratic society. For UAE to greatly indulge in social capital there is need for its citizens to look out for opportunities to bridge. Here, art should be used to bridge the gaps that exist across religion, races, and gender. Further, it is important for UAE to revive arts organizations such as museums, theaters and cinemas (Portes, 1998). This community institution should not be viewed as high priced entertainment venues that consume culture rather they should be places that connect people socially. Engaging in the usage of art institutions as public places is a good example of recycling social capital whereby new networks increases people participations. The last principle entails including cultural and artistic institution to UAE community planning. It is observable that artistic and cultural institutions enhance revitalization, which strengthens social capital (Portes and Landolt, 2000). From the above it is true to state that social capital emphasizes the importance of communities and individual to integrate on artwork and cultural institution such as museums as a way of coordinating various collective actions as well as achievement of shared goals. Portes and Landolt (2000) maintains that, social capital indicate that if shared goals are achieved and shared effectively they creates adhesions to both informal and formal structures that assists in the development of a country artwork nature. Main sources of social capital are proper reputation of cultural and artwork institutions and trust whereby proper investment on these sources increase the general level of social capital in any given country such as United Arabs Emirates (Woolcock and Narayan, 2000). References Barbara, S., Cheryl, Y. and Pam, K. (1999). Animating Democracy: The Artistic Imagination as a Force in Civic Dialogue. Washington, D.C.: Americans for the Arts. Beugelsdijk, S., and Smulders, S. (2004). Social Capital and Economic Growth. Netherland: Report made by CentER / Faculty of Economies, Tilburg University. Beugelsdijk, S., and van Schaik, T. (2004). Social Capital and Growth in European Regions: An Empirical Test. European Journal of Political Economy, 21, 301-324. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. Bowles, S. and Gintis S. (2002). Social Capital and Community Governance. The Economic Journal, 112: 419-436. 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