Reproduction of inequality in the field of art: Social closure mechanisms in theater actors working in funded and private theaters in Ankara

The purpose of this study is to understand what are the social mechanisms that play a role in the production and reproduction of inequality in the field of art and what role they play in the formation of inequality. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with the participation of 19 actors working in private and funded theaters in Ankara with the snowball sampling technique. The findings of the study are based on qualitative data obtained from in-depth interviews. With the qualitative data analysis, five themes that express the mechanisms which produce inequality in line with the main problem of the research have emerged: Social networking, education, ekonomik resources, body and lifestyle. These mechanisms are evaluated in the context of social closure theory and Pierre Bourdieu's field theory, which can be considered as a contemporary representative of this theory. In line with the findings of the study, it was concluded that these mechanisms operate as social closure mechanisms in the field of theater acting in various ways and make those who have certain social resources advantageous in terms of social relations, education, economic resources, bodily characteristics and lifestyle, and those who do not have a disadvantage in reaching privileged positions in the field.