This was one of the top rated presentations at LIBER 2017.

1. Applying Bourdieu’s Field
Theory to MLS Curricula
Development
'Some people believe football is a matter of life and
death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can
assure you it is much, much more important than that.'
Bill Shankly (1974)
Dr. Charlotte Wien and Dr. Bertil F. Dorch

2. Agenda
– Intro
– Football and field theory for beginners
– Field theory applied on research libraries
• 20 years ago
• today
– Educational consequences research librarians

3. A football field

4. Field theory
• Field = any social entity
• Doxa = rules of the field
• Habitus = different positions in the field
• Capital
– Economic = monthly income
– Cultural = length of education

5. Field theory
Economic capital -
Cultural capital + Cultural capital -
Economic capital +

6. Field theory
Economic capital -
Cultural capital + Cultural capital -
Economic capital +
Most desirable
position
Least desirable
position

7. Field theory
Economic capital -
Cultural capital + Cultural capital -
Economic capital +
Most desirable
position
Least desirable
position
Socialist parties
(populistic)
Social
Democratic and
socialist parties
Liberal parties
Liberal parties
(populistic)

8. Another illustration

9. University xxx 1997
Economic capital -
Cultural capital + Cultural capital -
Economic capital +
Adjunct faculty
Ph.d-students
Resarch assistants
Full professor
Associate professor
Research librarian
Assistant professor
?
secretaries
Janitors
Guards
Faculty Staff

10. ”University library of xxx 1997”
Economic capital -
Cultural capital + Cultural capital -
Economic capital +
Research librarians
Generalist librarians
Other library staff

11. Four reasons why
• Changes related to the academic field
– The doxa of the academic field have changed
– The RL does not meet his clients as often
• Changes related to the field of the RLs
– The GLs have professionalized themselves
– The responsibilities of RLs are changing

12. The Epic Split
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10

13. Reclaiming the prestigious position
• The Academic field
– Re-introduction of assessments for tenure and
promotion
– Ensure that services are visible and valuable to the
clients
• The Resaerch Library field
– Stop feeding peanuts
– Combine domain specific knowledge with domain
specific needs

14. Flexible Master program
• The flexible Master’s includes 60 ECTS
• Can be completed over as long as six years.
• Research librarian composes their own domain specific portfolio.
• The study board stipulates
– A theoretical, practical subjects and methodological framework
– Program must be completed with a Master’s dissertation
• The student may focus on i.e.
– project management,
– bibliometrics,
– on data management,
• First students enroll fall semester 2017.