Nathalie Heinich: A sociology of the singular

17 important questions on Nathalie Heinich: A sociology of the singular

What is a reason for the difference in sociology between Bourdieu and Heinich?

She was more educated in a time when there was a shift from modern to -post-modernism.

What does post-modernism mean for a sociology/epistemology?

It means it is difficult to define a theoretical frame.

What is an epistemological approach?

To go and live with people: it is about interpretation (Weber).
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What does Heinich say is the problem with collective laws in sociology?

There is a misunderstanding, because sociologists talk about collective laws (collective conventions and believes) which causes them to miss the singular regime of the art world.

What does Heinich say is the problem with group vs individual in sociology?

Sociologists look at group behaviour (of artists), not focussing on the individual (problematic).

What does Heinich say is the problem with the democratic paradigm in sociology?

In the 70's there was a democratic paradigm in sociology: sociologists look at differences, power struggles, in a way to solve a problem. This way you infect the sociology. Arts has a completely different tradition, so the art world has an aristocratic heritage.

What does Heinich say is the problem with Bourdieu's distinction strategy?

In the sociology, art is reduced as a status symbol in a distinction strategy.
Epistemological term of the art world --> it is trying to incorporate the singular, unique in the collective.

What is Heinich's solution to these problems?

  1. Anti-reductionism
  2. A-critical
  3. Descriptive
  4. Pluralistic
  5. Relative relativism
  6. Neutral engaged
  7. Research based on experimental exploration

1. What did she take as an example to illustrate this, and how is this a good example?

She illustrated this by using Van Gogh, because he is a symbolic 'transition figure' between the academic system and modern art.
  • The academic system --> collective regime, so follow collective rules
  • Modern expressionism --> strategy to make something unique, the particular, the excess, abnormality, the exception --> singular regime
  • Between the end of the 19th century and WWI both regimes exist in parallel. After WWI, the singular regime takes over (with the avant-garde becoming more the norm etc) --> autonomy becomes the rule, the norm. There is a strong belief in individual autonomy and authenticity.

1. What consequences are there for the artist?

Being unique is a collective rule. This creates a paradox: you can only break the rules when you know/follow them.
Another rule: individual authenticity --> a moral rule: you have to be authentic.
  • The artist has to incorporate a collective rule and distinct him/herself from it (double movement)
  • Modern expressionism --> the internal life
  • Avant-garde --> reflexive quest to find an unique distinction in art history

3. What is wrong with social reality?

It is contradictory, heterogenous and ambivalent (it does not fit in a theoretical frame (grand theory))

3. How does this relate to value regimes?

Many different value regimes interact with each other, and an art work can be translated in all of these value regimes (ANT)

3. What is meant with reality effects?

An art work has impact on social life

6. What is meant by neural engaged?

Don't look at 'ont raison' (right reason), but at 'leurs raisons' (their reasons) to act. A researcher is no moralist (and therefore may not judge) but is making different worlds understandable, which is the only engagement as a researcher.

7. What is meant by experimental research?

Research based on experimental exploration is different in different situations.
One needs to see the symmetry between theory and empirical research --> grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss): need to build theory on ground --> empirical ground.

What is a problem with the Van Gogh example?

It is a historical discovery (descriptive)

What is not so much a problem, but more of a potential that Heinich did not see?

The singular is also not so specific to the art world, but also a value regime found in other subsystems of society.

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