Implications of Cultural Capital in Women’s Higher Education Participation and Social Mobility

Abstract

Equality of opportunity in higher education participation is a basic right of people in a society that leads to their social mobility in the long run. Benadusi (2002) endorsed Bourdieu’s explanations that cultural capital acts as an empowering force that predetermines equality/inequality of educational opportunity of people in a society. The study, thus, aimed to explore cultural capital as means of participation in higher education and eventually social mobility of women. A cross sectional survey was used to collect data from 103 working and 97 non-working women using purposive and convenience sampling. The study found positive relation of cultural capital of women with their participation in higher education and social mobility. Significant difference was also found between cultural capitals of working and non- working women, where cultural capital of working women was higher as compared to non-working. The study, therefore, put to light strong connection of cultural capital and education for women in a society. i.e. higher the cultural capital, higher the participation rate in higher education, where education itself keeps enhancing cultural capital of women. It is concluded that higher education for women must be the core value of our society. Women solemnity and their struggle for participation in higher education becomes a source of transforming their lower cultural capital into higher cultural capital. This shift from lower to higher cultural capital ultimately leads women to social mobility in a society.