Class and lifestyle In analysing class location, sociologists have traditionally relied on conventio nal indicators of class location

such as market position, relations to the means of production and occupation. Some recent authors, however, argue that we shoul d evaluate individuals class location not only , or even mainly, in terms of econ omics and employment, but in relation also to cultural factors such as lifestyle and consumption patterns. According to this approach, our current age is one in which symbols and markers related to consumption are playing an ever greater role in daily life. Individual identities are structured to a greater extent around lifestyle choices such as how to dress, what to eat, how to care for one s body an d where to relax and less around more traditional class indicators such as emplo yment. The French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (1930- 2002) supports the view that lifes tyle choices are an important indicator of class. Bourdieu argued that economic capital which consists of material goods such as property , wealth and income wa s important but he believed it only provided a partial understanding of class. B ourdieu s conception of social class is extremely general (see Crompton 1993). He identifies four forms of capital that characterize class position, of whcih econo mic capital is only one : the others are cultural , social and symbolic (Bourdie u 1986). Bourdieu argues that individuals increasingly distinguish themselves fr om others, not according to economic factors, but on the basis of cultural capit al which includes education appreciation of the arts , consumption and leisure p ursuits. People are aided in the process of accumulating cultural capital by the proliferation of need merchants selling goods and service either symbolic or actu al for consumption within the capitalist system. Advertisers, marketers , fashio n designers, style consultants, interior designers , personal trainer , therapis ts , web designers and many others are all involved in influencing cultural tast es and promoting lifestyle choices among an ever-widening community of consumers . Also important in Bourdieu s analysis of class is social capital one s networks of f riends and contacts. Bourdieu defined social capital as the resources that indiv iduals or group gain by virtue of possessing a durable network of more or less in stitutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition . The concep t of social captial is an important tool in contemporary sociology, and Bourdieu s discussion of the term marked an important step in the current proliferation of the idea , which is now often associated with the American political scientist Robert Putnam. Last, Bourdieu argues that symbolic capital which includes possessing a good rep utation is a final important indication of social class. The idea of symbolic ca pital is similar to that of status. Each type of capital in Bourdieu s account is related and, to an extent, being in possession of one can help in the pursuit of the others. For example, a business man who makes a large amount of money (economic capital) might not have particul arly fine tastes in the arts, but can pay for his children to attend