Bourdieu's International Circulation: An Exercise in Intellectual Mapping

An influential figure in the French intellectual field since the 1960s, Pierre Bourdieu (1930–2002) is increasingly influential also—and probably mainly—on a global scale. In fact, the circulation of Bourdieu’s ideas and concepts outside of France greatly exceeds their transatlantic importation, both temporally and spatially. His works circulated in different parts of “old Europe” well before their renown in the United States, especially in countries geographically, historically, and culturally close to France, including Spain, Germany, and Italy. The patterns of transfer in these countries—each with its own intellectual tradition and academic organization—have been varied, both temporally and in intellectual content, following paths that are unpredictable and often surprising in many respects, with consequences in terms of status and identity of the transferred ideas equally diversified and not immediately understandable. Building on both existing studies and original research, in this chapter we try to offer some evidence of the global circulation of Bourdieu’s ideas, giving space whenever possible (read: there was enough reliable information) to the semi-periphery and the periphery. The chapter is articulated as follows. First, we look at Bourdieu’s books, and especially at their translations. Then we focus on scientific journals, mapping the circu- lation of Bourdieu’s work and ideas through articles across countries. Third, we focus on a few national cases of reception, describing the trajectories followed by Bourdieu’s ideas in each of them and looking for common patterns and divergences.