narratives of three generations of urban middle-class - eTheses ...

argues, there is often a possible sociological overlap between high caste and upper or
upper middle-class locations (Lakha, 1999) and their associations with various forms of
capital. The accumulation of this capital is a social process but is narrativized as a part
of one’s naturalized habitus and an intrinsic feature of the self rather than an acquired
feature contingent on caste, class, locations and their implied social inequalities
(Bourdieu and Wacquant, 1992). Therefore, factors of caste, community, class, status
and all other ‘unnecessary things’, in Priya’s words, go into the construction of ‘mental
match’ which, on the surface, appears and is made to appear devoid of these things.
Priya’s modern identity unfortunately is also not devoid of ‘backdated’, ‘traditional’
unnecessary considerations which are intertwined with its artificially constructed “open”
or ‘modern’ binary.
Cultural Capital: A Critical Appreciation:
Priya’s narrative is more nuanced on further probing about what she exactly means by
two individuals with ‘similar outlook’ and ‘mental match’. Her reply makes it clear, how
such apparently secular or individualistic conditions are tied up to socio-cultural history
and family tradition which in Priya’s earlier narratives apparently did not matter for
relationships. Priya states,
“Having a ‘similar outlook or world view implies having similar likes and dislikes,
common areas of interests and similar preferences’.”
She adds on further reflection,
“Siddharta and I come from similar family background; his family is well
respected for its history and tradition. For example, I heard that his grandfather in
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