Recognising the Misrecognised: Unmasking Symbolic Violence in our Social World and the Role of Translation

This paper explores two significant concepts of Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological framework: ‘symbolic violence’ and ‘misrecognition’. Symbolic violence’ refers to the imposition of systems of meaning and value that serve the interests of the dominant groups in society, leading to cultural and social domination where the dominated individuals or classes internalise these norms as legitimate Misrecognition’ highlights how societies perpetuate inequalities and preserve power structures by disguising them as normal or legitimate. The paper aims to provide illustrative examples of mechanisms that reproduce the status quo and examine the role of translation in countering the inequality produced by symbolic violence. Examples from education, gender, and family contexts demonstrate the interrelation between Bourdieu's concepts and offer insights into the reproduction and maintenance of power and social hierarchies.