English Literature research seminar

'Balanchine and the Elephants: The Sphere of the Arbitrary'
Prof Deborah Philips
School of Humanities
University of Brighton
[Location: W100, Westlain]

Abstract

Professors, Bourdieu claims in his book Homo Academicus, are the guardians of cultural legitimation. That is, that university professors are in a position to define what is culturally 'legitimate' and what is not. In another 1990 essay, Bourdieu set up a sociological distinction between the 'Sphere of Legitimacy' and the 'Sphere of the Arbitrary'. The 'Sphere of Legitimacy', he argues, is largely designated by academics in the Humanities, who decree what is 'good' culturally and what is not. These Professors are the legislators for what belongs in the realm of High Art. 'The Sphere of the Arbitrary' is, on the other hand, defined by what Bourdieu describes as "non- legitimate authorities". These 'non-legitimate authorities' include: marketing, journalism and advertising. That is, the 'Sphere of the Arbitrary' is commercial, commodified and popular.

The Ballet is generally thought of as 'legitimate' culture - it unapologetically belongs to the sphere of High Art, and Balanchine, of all choreographers, has produced a list of consecrated works. His choreography is spare, elegant and proudly Modernist: the Balanchine ballet would seem far removed from the 'Sphere of the Arbitrary'. But Balanchine also did the choreography, to music by Stravinsky, for the Circus Polka. Stravinsky and Balanchine are clearly bona fide producers of what Bourdieu would categorise as 'consecrated works'. They are both practitioners of the avant garde, and both would seem to firmly belong to the 'Sphere of Legitimacy' - to the realm of culture that is admired and legitimated by audiences, critics and professors. With titles such as 'Agon', 'Apollo' and 'Serenade', Balanchine ballets are more consecrated than many, with their insistent references to classical myth and to classical music. But the Circus Polka is rather different from other works by Balanchine and Stravinsky, and it carries with it distinct elements of the 'Sphere of the Arbitrary'.

Bio

Deborah Philips is Professor of Literature and Cultural History at the University of Brighton. Her research is concerned with the interface between literary genres and everyday life and also with the boundaries between 'High Art' and 'Popular Culture'. Her publications include Fairground Attractions: A Genealogy of the Pleasure Ground (Bloomsbury, 2012), Writing Romance: Women's Fiction 1945-2005 (Continuum, 2006) with Ian Haywood, Brave New Causes (Cassell, 1999) and, with Liz Linington and Debra Penman, Writing Well: Creative Writing and Mental Health (Jessica Kingsley, 1998). She was one of the organisers of the 'What's so Funny?: The Languages of Laughter' at the British Library in January, 2011.