Capitalising on virtue: Global climate politics and the life cycle of status symbols

Abstract

This article explores the temporality and manipulability of status symbols. The competition over status has started to move past traditional markers such as economic wealth and military strength, and new status symbols have emerged that may become attainable even for states without such traditional forms of capital. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s work, we develop a discursive approach to status symbols that distinguishes three phases of their life cycle – creation, institutionalisation and capitalisation – to show how certain practices and achievements are turned into new status symbols and how these status symbols can be converted into other forms of capital. We illustrate this approach by studying the role of the Conference of the Parties (COP) presidency and performance rankings as status symbols of leadership in global climate politics. As the field of climate politics is premised on assumptions of a greater common good, we also aim to explore whether and how status symbols can be strategically used as incentives for status competition with desirable outcomes.