Pierre Bourdieu is perhaps one of the more formidable names in sociology. A prolific and influential thinker, his works have invited praise for their pioneering ethnological approach, grounded in the empirical and informed by the theoretical.

Equally, his works have come under fierce criticism from those who oppose his structural homology that suggests individuals are defined by their social origins.

So it is refreshing to revisit the five narratives of these 1988 radio broadcasts in which historian Roger Chartier speaks with Bourdieu about the themes and practices underpinning his thinking. These discursive conversations explore the fields of sociology and history, presenting their overlaps, oversights and at times oppositional positions.