Alicia dunning

Beethoven or Britney?
A sociological exploration of music taste, cultural consumption and social class

Alicia Dunning
Student Number 72813480
B(SocSc) Hons Sociology

40 Credit Dissertation
Supervisor – Dr. Lucy Gibson

Word Count = 12, 982

Abstract

This study examines one of the most debated topics in the sociology of culture: Does music taste affirm one’s class? Using Pierre Bourdieu’s theories of “habitus” and “cultural capital” against Richard Peterson’s theory of the “cultural omnivore”, I aim to investigate whether a difference can be identified in music tastes and consumption between people from different social classes. I build on the works of the Centre for Research on SocioCultural Change (CRESC) and the data collected in their “Cultural Capital and Social
Exclusion project” (2003-2004). As much of the debate in this area falls on the subjectivity of musical genres, I conducted a study using music elicitation to build on the current debates whilst incorporating the active listening experience. I conducted two focus groups consisting of participants from either a working class background or a middle class background and compared the data collected from the two groups. The findings suggest that music taste is heavily influenced by social background and early socialisation and thus disputes Peterson’s omnivore theory. They also indicate that these differences have little influence on consumption levels.

Acknowledgements
72813480

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I would firstly like to thank Professor Carol Smart for all of her help and guidance as an academic advisor and lecturer over the past three years; she has been a true inspiration. I would also like to thank Professor Mike Savage for his correspondence during the early stages of the study and helping me gain a better grasp of the related body of literature.
Furthermore I am very grateful to Dr. Modesto Gayo-Cal who helped my understandings of omnivore theory and the works of CRESC. I