A Qualitative Study of the Elements of Symbolic Violence in Official Education Documents

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to highlight the elements of symbolic violence and cultural capital in the regulations, strategies and development plans regarding the educational institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education. In the study, the forms of inequality created by the symbolic violence elements in the regulations, strategic plans and development plans are discussed in terms of students, based on the symbolic violence and cultural capital approaches developed by Bourdieu. In the research, case study design was used in compliance with the qualitative methodology. The data were analyzed by using the MAXQDA software in the context of content analysis. The research has shown that the principal, vice principals, and teachers are the representatives of the pedagogical authority and carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the pedagogical action. In addition, it has been found that the articles in the regulation divide students into two categories as acceptable and unacceptable students. It has been concluded that the condition of being an acceptable student depends on the elements of cultural capital acquired from the family, as well as having behavioral patterns related to universal and national values. At the conclusion of the study, it is recommended that the regulations should be reviewed by taking social class differences into consideration.