It is especially where we are inclined to ask why-questions that we will be ready to accept because-statements as answers to them, and we are particularly ready to call causes those items that can be described by clauses introduced by “because.”

Mackie (1974)

New term, clean slate. Starting it off right, with a Bourdieu vs Goldthorpe showdown.

Timely, to remember the French sociologist who was a big influence on the decision to pursue what I currently pursue. Next week, 23 January 2012, marks the 10th year since his passing.

I remember the day when I was watching the VHS of the Sociology is a Martial Art and scribbling down translations from the subtitles.

“A committed intellectual is involved in politics? No. A committed individual is involved in the public arena: we cannot lose touch, forget, ordinary demands; lest you enter politics and spout nonsense”

(At a forum, when audience cheered after a question was asked) “Please do not clap. Trust isn’t left to clap-o-metres”

“Don’t let your righteous indignation blind you and deprive you of the tools of understanding”

“Intellectualism isn’t a disease”

“Deadlines are a way of controlling yourself – so you do not end up with a 150-page introduction”

“Generalisation is intolerable to sociologists. Be specific.”

“Always ask: ‘What are his social reasons for saying these?’”

I think that was the day.

Wacquant’s tribute to Bourdieu in 2006 concluded with this:

In his many interventions before fellow scientists, unionists, social activists of various stripes and in editorial pieces published in the major dailies and weeklies of France, Germany, Argentina or Greece, as well as in his ostensibly scientific works, Bourdieu doggedly pursued a single aim: to forestall or prevent abuses of power in the name of reason and to disseminate weapons for resistance to symbolic domination. If social science cannot stipulate the political goals and moral standards we should pursue, as Emile Durkheim had hoped, it can and must contribute to the elaboration of “realistic utopias” suited to guiding collective action and to promoting the institutionalization of justice and freedom. The ultimate purpose of Bourdieu’s sociology, then, is nothing other than to foster the blossoming of a new, self-critical, Aufklärung fit for the coming millenium. By directing us to probe the foundations of knowledge, the structures of social being, and the hidden possibilities of history, it offers us instruments of individual and collective self-appropriation and thus of wisdom –it helps us pursue, as it were, the originary mission of philosophy.

How do you resist being compelled?

I guess you don’t.

“To Pinsk”

“You are going to Pinsk in order to make me believe you are going to Minsk. But I know you are going to Pinsk. So whom are you trying to fool?”

I am somewhat more concerned about today. It was, beautiful? And warm. I witnessed a lovely sunset and decided, this had to be the most beautiful day of winter in Oxford, since… I’ve experienced British cold, dark, gloom.

Today also marked the end of a fortnight where I have been good at staying (financially) prudent (and will continue to be, not much of a choice here), so I decided I could reward myself to a very good little piece of brownie and a very good cup of coffee. Because, it was the most beautiful day of winter. I walked down the street to Oxfork, in what appeared to be my PJs, and sat in its 3 pm quietness. Although this is sounding all too romantic, I would like to assure you it was very much real.

How long does a beautiful day last? Things go wrong, as they could do, even on beautiful days. I return home to emails that make me a little sad; there is nothing left in my fridge; the Eagle Creek decides to tear, hours before getting on a plane.

But, the most beautiful day of winter, I say.

.  .  .  .  .

I’ll show you my Christmas Reading List. Will you show me yours?

Mulk Raj Anand, Untouchable
John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me
Richard Wright, Black Boy
Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed
Polly Toynbee, A Working Life
Polly Toynbee, Hard Work: Life in Low‐pay Britain
Owen Jones, Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class
Nancy Mitford, Noblesse Oblige
Allan Sillitoe, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
David Storey, This Sporting Life
Stan Barstow, A Kind of Loving
Goldthorpe, J. H. (2007) ‘”Cultural Capital”: Some Critical Observations’
Goldthorpe, J. H. (2008) ‘Three cheers for unoriginality – but who will be cheering?’
Lareau, A. and Weininger, E. B. (2003) ‘Cultural Capital in Educational Research: A Critical Assessment.’
Weininger, E. B. (2005) ‘Foundations of Pierre Bourdieu’s Class Analysis.’

It has been a challenge cycling home after nights of mulled wine, minced pies and a bad right knee; against the wind and up slopes. Oooh. But, it has been very nice and warm spending time with the people here in Oxford, end of term. It is amazing how we’ve been brought together and have lived together these past 12 weeks. I have expressed gratitude several times, and each time I do, I feel myself meaning it more than the last time. How does that work? At these get-togethers, you will find me near out-of-tune musical instruments or the table where the pies are stacked. I had a little bit of a work out this morning. First time since I got here. Not because of overeating guilt, no, but because I am determined to get this right knee functioning like it should in good time. It was very nice being at the Iffley gym at 10.00 am and working out with the retirees. They, and their functioning knees, motivate me.

A wonderful month awaits. It is my hope that you find rest this December; that you get to spend it with the ones you adore and love. Also, you must dance a little.

Love, R.

.   .   .   .   .

“To appreciate how neo-material conditions can influence health, it may be useful to consider the metaphor of airline travel. Differences in neo-material conditions between first and economy class may produce health inequalities after a long flight. First class passengers get, among other advantages such as better food and service, more space and a wider, more comfortable seat that reclines into a bed. First class passengers arrive refreshed and rested, while many in economy arrive feeling a bit rough. Under a psychosocial interpretation, these health inequalities are due to negative emotions engendered by perceptions of relative disadvantage. Under a neo-material interpretation, people in economy have worse health because they sat in a cramped space and an uncomfortable seat, and they were not able to sleep. The fact that they can see the bigger seats as they walk off the plane is not the cause of their poorer health. Under a psychosocial interpretation, these health inequalities would be reduced by abolishing first class, or perhaps by mass psychotherapy to alter perceptions of relative disadvantage. From the neo-material viewpoint, health inequalities can be reduced by upgrading conditions in economy class. Of course, this simplistic metaphor assumes that conditions in first class and economy class are independent—in the real world, improvements in economy are often resisted by those able to travel first class.”

(Lynch et al, 2000).

This has been a tough week. On the Stats front, we were working on multiple regression diagnostics, using Stata for detecting outliers, heteroskedasticity, and multicollinearity. On the research front, this restless mind came up with a new idea to incorporate (a byproduct of a Skype conversation) which I am concerned might take me closer to a well-funneled piece, or further – requires further consideration and conceptualisation. At Week 6, everyone is tired (you see it in faculty members as well), and I constantly have to remind myself that I’ve been more tired than this before,  stop saying jag är så trött – though I have learnt how to say it – skärp dig!

And then I come across this metaphor from my stacks of reading. No tables to refer to, no figures or coefficients – just a metaphorical thought. We could discuss forever the perils of metaphors but, the gist of what it says about differentials and the way this argument is structured reminds me once more why I am here. To be trained to become confident in tearing apart such arguments; to know how to diagnose what is cause, effect, intervening, interacting, confounding, and to know how to say it when you can’t. To do all this without losing hope in the world, to do all this while being clear and constructive in a messy and destructive time.

So now that I have given myself a bit of a pep talk, I shall return to another night of work. Dansa fastan.

And some photos?

Spotted this morning while hanging laundry, growing in the jungle of our backyard.
As if to proclaim, it’s a sunny day, get out!

Big breakfast for sick person. News & journaling on Penultimate.

My favourite place to work on Cowley Road. So many different accents, good coffee, good music.

Lady Margaret Hall outside

Middle common room, inside. Saturday nights – all about male egos & thrash talking.

. . . . .

Have a lovely lovely week.

Love, R.

]]> http://rebeccaye.wordpress.com/2011/11/13/ojt/feed/ 2 IMG_1952 rebeccaye IMG_1958 IMG_1957 IMG_1961 IMG_1953 IMG_1954 IMG_1952 http://rebeccaye.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/mid-term/ http://rebeccaye.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/mid-term/#comments Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:07:55 +0000 rebeccaye http://rebeccaye.wordpress.com/?p=2297 Read more]]> People from the college and university who have never been are always curious about Cowley.
I think we did the right thing to live in this part of Oxford.

Biking 2 minutes to the community market on a Saturday to get bread.
One of the reasons.

Besides spending a big portion of my time in East Oxford,
another huge chunk of my time is spent at the Sociology department

Not before cycling through some very pretty lanes.

And then finding a place to put the feet up, and work.

…..

Love, R