Sociological explanation of the relationship between leisure and cultural capital The case of Kurdistan University students

Explaining the status and functions of leisure in everyday life is of high importance in sociology. Leisure in everyday life is intimately connected with new forms of capital, either social or cultural. Through explaining this connection one can use it as an independent and predicting variable in analyzing social and cultural phenomena. Such an explanation is also a useful way to increase the degree of social and cultural capital. This research is an attempt to explain the relationship of leisure among students with theirs social and cultural capital. Hence, the paper addresses this central question that what are the main factors influencing the formation of social and cultural capital among Iranian students? Furthermore, is there any relationship between leisure and the formation of social and cultural capital? The conceptual and theoretical framework of this research is based on Bourdieu’s theory about distinction and social capital. The study population includes all the students of Kurdistan University in 1390-1391 which amounts to 11000. The study sample, selected through classified clustering sampling, consists of 300 respondents. The findings show that there is significant relationship between leisure and the formation of social and cultural capital. Moreover, leisure is explained and predicted mainly by objectified cultural capital and social participation.