Application of Bourdieuian theory to the inclusion of students with learning/physical challenges in multicultural school settings

Access to Quality Education for Students with Disability

“…capital), and the rules of the game are determined by the field in which the game is occurring. For individuals to successfully play the game they must accept the rules and the pre-determined values of the 'cards' they are 'dealt' (DiGiorgio, 2009). For individuals who are vulnerable to social and institutional disadvantage the 'how to' of playing the game of success is extremely important, as the consequences of not successfully playing the game may result in social disadvantage and exclusion.…”

“…As a result, students with disability may experience discrimination from others who construct themselves as 'normal', which often leads to a process of cognitive mapping, giving rise to student categorisation as insiders or outsiders. Students with symbolic capital, that is, those with varying forms of capital in relation to status within social structures (DiGiorgio, 2009) are situated in a privileged position to access and participate in the education of their choice, as this form of capital elevates their social status (Bourdieu, 1995). In view of this, Bourdieu emphasises the importance of ensuring that we take into account and draw upon the structured and structuring practices of the social world or what he calls the relation of ordinary experience in our quest for developing new understandings of inclusion (Grenfell, 2012).…”

“…For example, families with high levels of financial means are able to access educational support services and assistance with greater ease. Furthermore, high levels of economic capital are often associated with high levels of cultural capital (usually acquired via educational and cultural resources), which is also of great value within the field of education (Sullivan, 2007;DiGiorgio, 2009). As outlined by Sullivan (2002), Bourdieu argues the possession of cultural capital in relation to the field of education endows the individual with a familiarity of the structures of this field, in particular the ability to utilise purposive language competently.…”

Families, Young People, Physical Activity and Health

“…In many respects, education emerges from recounts of family members' educational experiences as something that is beyond their biographies and something that excludes them. These commonplace stories of family members leaving schooling early (whether seemingly by their own choice or via school exclusion) also point to a lack of cultural and social capital (Bourdieu, 1979) for these young people (for further examples of the role of social and cultural capital in schools and education, see DiGiorgio, 2009, andSmyth, 2004). As we noted above, despite participants such as Teah being aware of the value of her daughter mixing with children with 'working parents', in the main the participants in our study did not describe having connections with people who have had positive and uninterrupted experiences of education.…”

Transforming the embodied dispositions of pre-service special education teachers

“…In particular, the work of Pierre Bourdieu has provided insight for urban school ethnographers (Dickar, 2008;Ferguson, 2001), disability theorists (e.g. DiGiorgio, 2009;Edwards & Imrie, 2003) and other educational researchers (e.g. Grenfell & James, 2003;Reay, 2004) for understanding how the dispositions and practices of the dominant social classes in the field of education are not only (re)produced but also potentially transformed.…”