Symbolic Violence as the Object of Sociological Research: Categorization and Operationalization

Abstract

There is the analysis of the phenomenon of symbolic violence in context of the post-structuralist tradition in the article. The author presents his own definition of symbolic violence, which is building and operationalizing by three dimensions: imposition of the meanings and symbols; the opposition to this imposition; the legitimation of the above symbols and meanings (in the constructivist tradition). The author conducts categorization and operationalization of symbolic violence, as well as its key variables: processuality and praxeology, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of imposition and opposition, formal and substantial characteristics of the legitimation processes. In the article we can find the theoretical search of axes and measuring of key characteristics that could be basic for further empirical researching of symbolic violence.