Internalized Capitalism: An examination

This study seeks to understand how the internet phenomenon “internalized capitalism” can be used to examine how Danish students on higher education experience the effect of society’s logics, norms, and values. The empirical material is created through four semi-structured interviews with Danish students enrolled at higher educations. The theoretical framework consists of Ove Kaj Pedersen's theory of the competitive state, Anders Petersen's theory of the performance society and Pierre Bourdieu's theory of fields, habitus, illusio, and doxa. Finally, Luc Boltanski and Eve Chia-pello's theory of the new spirit of capitalism is included. The analysis shows that the students expe-rience an increase in competition within their educational institutions, and the students face de-mands for self-management, productivity, and the ability to convert their capital to self-advantage. The report concludes that Danish students at higher education experience pressure in several re-gards. Students experience demands from society to strive for extraordinary achievements at uni-versity and on the labor market. In addition, the individuals experience freedom in terms of seeking out prosperity within the capitalist society. In the pursuit of success, individuals have different dis-positions and their ability to achieve privileges correlates with personal attributes. While the report assesses that its broad theoretical framework constitutes a solid basis for the research, this also serves as a point of criticism.This study seeks to understand how the internet phenomenon “internalized capitalism” can be used to examine how Danish students on higher education experience the effect of society’s logics, norms, and values. The empirical material is created through four semi-structured interviews with Danish students enrolled at higher educations. The theoretical framework consists of Ove Kaj Pedersen's theory of the competitive state, Anders Petersen's theory of the performance society and Pierre Bourdieu's theory of fields, habitus, illusio, and doxa. Finally, Luc Boltanski and Eve Chia-pello's theory of the new spirit of capitalism is included. The analysis shows that the students expe-rience an increase in competition within their educational institutions, and the students face de-mands for self-management, productivity, and the ability to convert their capital to self-advantage. The report concludes that Danish students at higher education experience pressure in several re-gards. Students experience demands from society to strive for extraordinary achievements at uni-versity and on the labor market. In addition, the individuals experience freedom in terms of seeking out prosperity within the capitalist society. In the pursuit of success, individuals have different dis-positions and their ability to achieve privileges correlates with personal attributes. While the report assesses that its broad theoretical framework constitutes a solid basis for the research, this also serves as a point of criticism

Health Capital: The Body as an Investment Project

This report examines how young people understand health and the body as an investment project, in continuation of how self-monitoring technologies are used to comply with societies health norms and body ideals. The theoretical frame of the report is based on theories from Pierre Bourdieu, Kristian Larsen, Nick Crossly and Deborah Lupton, where each of these illuminates’ central themes in relation to the problem. The method of the report for empirical collection is based on semi-structured interviews, where four respondents between the ages of 22-26 are interviewed, which support and creates an insight into the report’s problem for a small part of the young generation. The respondents have different definitions of health reflected by the basis of life experiences and interests. In addition, it is expressed through the analytical material how the respondents' definition of health is also influenced by society and its dominant health norms and body ideals. In the effort to comply with societies established health norms, self-monitoring technologies become for the respondents, a decisive and helpful tool, which has both negative and positive consequences. Based on the reports analytical material supported by the theoretical frame, it can be concluded that young people in a greater extent see their body as an investment project, further influenced of societies and social medias exposure of certain body ideals and health standards. In addition, self-monitoring technologies become an important tool for individuals to invest in the body and its health