Introduction

It is often forgotten nowadays that Pierre Bourdieu is primarily a philosopher who took up the project outlined by Durkheim a century ago, enabling sociology to solve the problems traditionally formulated by philosophy. Bourdieu’s approach has placed him at the center of French public life and provoked vigorous debates, for it aims at nothing less than reshaping entire “fields” (to use his own terms) ranging from literature, philosophy, and linguistics to political engagement and media studies. For the “imperialism” of Bourdieu’s sociology is such that nothing escapes its attention. The same author who claims in his most recent book that economics and sociology are one and the same (meaning that economics becomes only a moment of sociology) is also the one who treats us in an interview to a stunning analysis of the social role of women’s skirts. ¹

The astonishing scope and boldness of such an intellectual and political venture necessarily touches upon many areas and generates its own problems. I shall mention just a few questions raised by Bourdieu’s work.