Bourdieu and Education: How useful is Bourdieu's theory for researchers?

Bourdieu’s theory of cultural reproduction has been highly influential within the sociology of education. This paper will provide a critical introduction to Bourdieu’s theory regarding the cultural reproduction of educational advantage, and an overview of the empirical literature on cultural reproduction. It will be argued that the ‘grand theory’ of cultural reproduction is unhelpful. On the other hand, the concept of cultural capital, though ill-defined, has proved useful for empirical researchers