ABSTRACT
One of the pivotal concepts in Pierre Bourdieu’s work is the notion of cultural capital by which he means the stock of cultural goods which are ‘socially designated as worthy of being sought and possessed’. It has often been remarked that the sociology of leisure in Britain has tended to become somewhat isolated from the mainsteam of sociological theory and argument, including contemporary debates about the nature and dynamics of class stratification in advanced societies. Leading sociologists of class such as A. Giddens, Parkin, and Poulantzas have also paid very little attention to the areas ofleisure and consumption. Cultural competence therefore, can be broken down into three basic components -knowledge about the legitimate stock of cultural capital, mastery of the intellectual and social skills surrounding its consumption and use, and the ability to deploy this knowledge and skill to advantage in social situations.
