Place habitus in the city and suburbs: The politics of middle-class education and the perspective of elite decisionmakers

Abstract

This study explores differences in the politics of urban and suburban communities. It specifically concentrates on decisionmakers' perspectives regarding their constituents' agency in formalizing local education policy. Drawing upon the writings of Pierre Bourdieu and related work on (place) habitus and local politics of education, the study hypothesizes that the more divided the class structure of a place, the greater disparity between the demands of the elite and a given municipal education policy. By means of an Israeli regional case study that includes a medium-size city and its suburbs, the research demonstrates how a local political milieu is formed, and how its formation shapes local educational policy. The findings raise significant doubt regarding efforts to diversify cities, as a policy goal that strives for fairness in a metropolitan area.