The Literature “Not for Everyone” and the Phenomenon of the Guilty Pleasure: Classifications in Literature as a Space for Distinction

This article presents the results of pilot study in sphere literature classifications Russia case a group students. The creation artistic is focus research, as constructed symbolic hierarchies consumption practices lead to social boundaries between groups. groups are manifested exclusion those individuals whose marked illegitimate established system. discuss two main categories that structure reading students, “classical literature” and “dime novels”. classics referred “good taste” (the analogue highbrow taste Russian context), while noting these books generally known all segments population. novels” for our informants possible only guilty pleasure, practice takes distance with an object something into account. also universality such hierarchy consumer practices. One can be attributed who support norm educated person includes his literary preferences, brings benefits avoiding any contact objects consumption, others question grounds hierarchy.