Women and music: erotic capital on stage

Recently, the controversial book by Catherine Hakim, Honey Money: the Power of Erotic Capital (2011) has sparked a debate on the concept of erotic capital, highlighting the greater importance that this type of capital has for women. Though many of this sociologist’s theories are difficult to accept, and they have received intense, justified criticism from feminist quarters, the concept of erotic capital (derived from Bourdieu's idea of capital) is important, and has not been given much consideration in social and human sciences. In this lecture, the speaker will apply this concept to the world of music, and will explore how it may have a bearing on women’s musical practices.