Kulturtanter
En studie i kvinnlig kulturkonsumtion
The aim of this study is, using the Swedish expression ?kulturtant? (cultured lady) as starting point, to understand how and why women consume the products of the culture industry more eagerly than men. The study is using the concepts put forward by Pierre Bourdieu; fields, capital and habitus. It is a qualitative study based on discussions in focus groups, interviews and material gathered through Google Alerts. In the literature this gap between the sexes with regard to the higher consumption on behalf of women has been referred to as the ?puzzle? of women´s cultural consumption.The empirical results show that the women in the study are well aware of what they want to gain by participating in cultural activities like reading, going to concerts, watching plays or going to the movies. There are three main results: The first result is that the women in the study want to participate in activities with peers that respect them. The second result is that the women are eager that their cultural activities should give them durable experiences. The third result can be described as a wish of the women that taking part in cultural activities will help them to develop as human beings, to become better persons. The women have made what can be called a culture journey that in analogy with a class journey may be argued to be non-reversible.