Class Mobility, and Cultural and Economic Capital: Case Studies of Youtubers

Abstract

The purposes of this research are: 1) study the extension and accu-mulation of various capitals of Youtuber with the background of high cultural and economic capital, and 2) study social mobility of Youtuber without the background of high capitals. This research employs the Pierre Bourdieu’s con-cept of capital and additional perspective of information capital to analyze class mobility. This research uses qualitative approach by discussing case stud-ies, including the channels of Mindset TV and Bie Tha Ska, furthermore, col-lecting the data of subscription number and Youtube channel revenue to veri-fy statistical relationship.
The research result finds that:
1. The case study of Mindset TV channel (the representative of high cultural and economic capital background) shows advantages such as social networks and cultural cultivation which associates with the content creation that preserves and enhances the Youtuber’s capitals.
2. The case of Bie The Ska channel (the representative of Youtuber without high cultural and economic capital) indicates the rapid mobility of cap-itals. Therefore, a social media is not only a means of communication, but also an information capital that, perhaps, assists the mobility of capitals more quick-ly. Nevertheless, a Youtuber’s success also depends on other conditions that promotes the ability to create a content.