Phenomenology of power and habitus. Contribution to a debate

Abstract

In this article I analyze the dialogue between the Schutzian developments on the phenomenology of power proposed by Jochen Dreher and the socio-anthropological approach on habitus and symbolic power of Pierre Bourdieu. Dreher points out that it is possible to find in Bourdieu’s perspective “key points” for a phenomenology of power. However, when criticizing the static character of the notion of habitus, he chooses for Schutz’s theory of relevance, which, unlike Bourdieu´s proposal, gives central place to the subjective perspective of the individual actor. In this paper I will show the limits of this critique by comparing it with Bourdieu’s developments on cleft/tormented habitus, reflexivity/socioanalysis and counter-training of the body. As a contribution to the phenomenology of power, I will propose an alternative reading of Bourdieu’s notion of habitus based on Merleau-Ponty, put to work in an empirical investigation on upper-class schools