The Swedish Space of Lifestyles and Symbolic Domination

Will J Atkinson

doi:10.1177/0539018421991785

The Swedish Space of Lifestyles and Symbolic Domination

Will J Atkinson^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

218 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper constructs a model of the space of lifestyles in Sweden. It does so not simply to test whether its structure conforms to that discovered by Bourdieu and his colleagues in 1970’s France, and confirmed by others across the globe, but to examine the extent to which it is wrapped up with symbolic domination. It draws on data from an unusually rich survey of consumption patterns and taste fielded in 2017 (n=1,948) and deploys the technique of multiple correspondence analysis in combination with cluster analysis. Oppositions between exclusive and accessible culture and between ‘highbrow’ culture and materialistic/appearance-oriented practices are revealed and the correspondences with capital, age, gender and other factors explored. The cluster analysis suggests that the force of capital composition in differentiating lifestyles relative to age varies in proportion to capital volume. Crucially, analysis suggests it is the economically rich, rather than those rich in cultural capital, who are most confident in their tastes and lifestyles.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	63-85
Number of pages	23
Journal	Social Science Information
Volume	60
Issue number	1
Early online date	24 Feb 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0539018421991785
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The research on which this article is based was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Grant agreement No. 677055).

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Bourdieu
class
lifestyles
multiple correspondence analysis
Sweden
symbolic violence

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10.1177/0539018421991785

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12 Citations
5 Article (Academic Journal)
2 Authored book

Who Feels Looked Down Upon? Sources of Symbolic Violence in the US
Atkinson, W., 1 Feb 2026, In: Sociological Inquiry. 96, 1, p. 87-108 22 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

Open Access
The class differentiation of older age: Capitals and lifestyles
Atkinson, W., 2 Sept 2024, In: British Journal of Sociology. 75, 4, p. 554-573 20 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

Open Access
6 Citations (Scopus)

5 Downloads (Pure)
The Class Structure of Capitalist Societies, Volume 3: Love, Lifestyles and a Multiplicity of Capitals
Atkinson, W., 1 Apr 2024, London: Routledge. 254 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Authored book

CASSPIN: Comparative Analysis of Social Spaces in Post-Industrial Nations
Atkinson, W. (Principal Investigator), Marzec, P. M. (Researcher), Kunz, S. (Researcher) & Saar, M. (Researcher)
1/05/16 → 30/04/21
Project: Research

File

Cite this

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AB - This paper constructs a model of the space of lifestyles in Sweden. It does so not simply to test whether its structure conforms to that discovered by Bourdieu and his colleagues in 1970’s France, and confirmed by others across the globe, but to examine the extent to which it is wrapped up with symbolic domination. It draws on data from an unusually rich survey of consumption patterns and taste fielded in 2017 (n=1,948) and deploys the technique of multiple correspondence analysis in combination with cluster analysis. Oppositions between exclusive and accessible culture and between ‘highbrow’ culture and materialistic/appearance-oriented practices are revealed and the correspondences with capital, age, gender and other factors explored. The cluster analysis suggests that the force of capital composition in differentiating lifestyles relative to age varies in proportion to capital volume. Crucially, analysis suggests it is the economically rich, rather than those rich in cultural capital, who are most confident in their tastes and lifestyles.

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The Swedish Space of Lifestyles and Symbolic Domination

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Embargoed Document

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Research output

Who Feels Looked Down Upon? Sources of Symbolic Violence in the US

The class differentiation of older age: Capitals and lifestyles

The Class Structure of Capitalist Societies, Volume 3: Love, Lifestyles and a Multiplicity of Capitals

Projects

CASSPIN: Comparative Analysis of Social Spaces in Post-Industrial Nations

Cite this