New Books in Sociology Andrew Smith, "Class and the Uses of Poetry: Symbolic Enclosures" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024)
Jan 24, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Andrew Smith, a Professor of Sociology at the University of Glasgow and author of 'Class and the Uses of Poetry,' delves into the often-overlooked connection between poetry and class. He reveals how poetry can be exclusionary for working-class readers and shares insights from community reading groups that foster inclusivity. Smith emphasizes the need to appreciate poetry’s aesthetic value while critiquing existing cultural barriers. He also explores collaborative approaches to interpretation, highlighting the power of shared experiences in understanding poetic texts.
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Smith's PhD Research
- Andy Smith's PhD research explored how working-class audiences in Scotland and audiences in Nigeria read two novels.
- He examined how their interpretations shaped their understanding of history, similar to his current work with poetry.
Overlooking Aesthetics in Sociology
- Sociology often overlooks the aesthetic elements of culture, especially in Bourdieusian approaches.
- Smith argues that poetry's aesthetic qualities are crucial for understanding its social impact.
Sociology's Misuse of Poetry
- Sociologists often encourage learning from poetry but overlook what's involved in creating it.
- Poetry is used to debate sociological methods at the expense of understanding poetry's unique qualities.