Summary

Accounting for Tastes was the most systematic and substantial study of Australian cultural tastes, preferences and activities ever published. Taking its inspiration from Pierre Bourdieu's work, this 1999 book examines the relationships between the patterns of participation in the different fields of cultural practice in Australia, and analyses trends of consumption and choice that Australians make in their everyday lives. The book contains detailed examinations of people's cultural choices through a large-scale survey and interviews. It also examines the influence of American culture on Australian choices, and the way work cultures and cultures of friendship affect how Australians choose to spend their leisure time. Accounting for Tastes makes a substantial contribution to the empirical and policy-oriented social inquiry into questions of cultural practices and preferences.