Symbolic Power in Interlevel Interactive Learning Culture at the English Institute

Abstract

The exercise of power can occur in a communicative culture in education, for example in an interlevel communicative culture in an English department. Bourdieu's theory of symbolic power should be followed normally and unconditionally and will have a positive impact on the social groups under the power's control. The focus of this study was to use Pierre Bourdieu's concept of symbolic power to identify aspects of symbolic power through practices of habitus, capital, arena, and differentiation in cross-level dialogic learning cultures. This study was a qualitative study using a phenomenological approach. The locus of the study was the Department of English at LPBA Nurul Jadid. An interview with alumni was used to collect the data. Based on observations, cultural capital used as a guide by upper social groups could create a habitus in the elementary level. This habit was established from the time elementary level entered the institute. They were given guidelines to follow. They were also given the paradigm of being different from their seniors in terms of knowledge, education, age, and length of study. This study found a link between Bourdieu's concepts of habitus, arena, capital, and distinction and the process of adapting English learners to English proficiency promoted in the institute.