Sociology Chapter on Habitus and Education

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Questions and Answers

What do Archer et al focus on regarding working-class pupils?

Financial status

Interactions with school (correct)

Family background

Extracurricular activities

What is a Habitus according to Bourdieu?

Learned, taken-for-granted ways of thinking, acting and being shared by a particular social group or class.

How is habitus linked to Bourdieu's cultural capital?

The middle-class habitus is defined as superior, giving middle-class pupils an advantage while devaluing working-class culture.

What is Symbolic Capital?

Status and recognition from the school based on middle-class tastes and preferences. Signup and view all the answers

What is symbolic violence?

The harm done by denying someone symbolic capital, such as devaluing working-class tastes. Signup and view all the answers

Why is there a clash between working-class and middle-class habitus?

Middle-class views are seen as superior, leading working-class pupils to feel alienated in education. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Nike identity?

A way for pupils to create self-worth and status through branded clothing, like Nike. Signup and view all the answers

Why were working-class pupils seen to wear 'Nike'?

Wearing brands was a way of expressing authenticity and gaining acceptance among peers. Signup and view all the answers

What conflict arose from Nike identities in schools?

Pupils faced opposition to their street styles from schools, which preferred middle-class norms. Signup and view all the answers

How do Nike styles influence perceptions of higher education?

Nike styles contribute to working-class pupils rejecting higher education as unrealistic and undesirable. Signup and view all the answers

What makes higher education seem unrealistic to working-class pupils?

They perceive it as not for 'people like us' and an unmanageable financial burden. Signup and view all the answers

What do working-class pupils find undesirable about higher education?

It does not align with their preferred lifestyle and habitus. Signup and view all the answers

What is self-exclusion from education according to Archer et al?

Working-class pupils prefer certain lifestyles over educational opportunities and may choose to reject education. Signup and view all the answers

What did Ingram's study compare?

It compared two groups of working-class boys from the same deprived neighborhood with different educational paths. Signup and view all the answers

What did Ingram find regarding working-class identity?

Belonging to a working-class community significantly influences boys' habitus and sense of identity. Signup and view all the answers

What conflict did Callum experience in Ingram's study?

Callum faced ridicule for wearing his tracksuit, feeling unworthy in the school's middle-class environment. Signup and view all the answers

What does Evans’ study on working-class girls reveal?

A clash between working-class identity and higher education habitus limits their educational success. Signup and view all the answers

How does Bourdieu view self-exclusion from elite universities?

Working-class individuals often view elite institutions as inaccessible due to their habitus. Signup and view all the answers

What does Reay et al's research conclude?

Self-exclusion narrows options for working-class pupils and limits their success. Signup and view all the answers

What consistent pattern do Evans, Ingram, and Archer's studies show?

A middle-class education system devalues working-class experiences and identities. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between external and internal factors for working-class pupils?

Conflict arises between their external habitus and the school's internal expectations, leading to various outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Archer et al's Focus

Examines the interplay of working-class identities in educational settings and resultant underachievement.
Utilizes Bourdieu's concept of habitus to analyze these dynamics.

Habitus - Bourdieu

Represents ingrained ways of thinking, acting, and being unique to specific social groups.
Includes lifestyle preferences and beliefs on achievable aspirations.

Habitus and Cultural Capital

No class's habitus is superior; however, middle-class habitus is privileged in the educational system.
Schools favor middle-class cultural capital, disadvantaging working-class pupils whose culture is often seen as inferior.

Symbolic Capital - Bourdieu

Refers to status and recognition conferred by schools based on middle-class norms and values.

Symbolic Violence - Bourdieu

Involves harm inflicted by devaluing certain identities, especially working-class tastes and preferences.
Reinforces class hierarchies and maintains the status quo.

Clash of Habitus - Archer

Middle-class students often perceive their preferences as superior, leading to alienation of working-class pupils.
Working-class students may feel educational success requires abandoning their identity, viewing institutions as inaccessible.

Nike Identity

Represents a response to societal and educational disdain, allowing working-class pupils to assert self-worth through branded clothing.
Fashion choices are crucial for establishing class identities and gaining peer acceptance.

Conflict with School Norms - Archer

Nike styles clash with middle-class school dress codes, labeled as 'bad taste'.
Pupils value their identities, while schools stigmatize them, creating tension and desire for acceptance.

Nike Styles and Higher Education

Contributes to working-class pupils' rejection of higher education as an unrealistic and undesirable path.

Unrealistic Aspirations

Higher education perceived as exclusive to wealthier, more intelligent individuals, fostering feelings of inadequacy.

Undesirable Circumstances

Studying deemed unsuitable for aspirational lifestyles tied to branded consumer identities, leading to financial concerns about student loans.

Self-Exclusion from Education - Archer

Investment in Nike identities results in educational marginalization of working-class pupils.
Choice to reject education stems from a misalignment with their identities and lifestyles.

Working-Class Identity and Success

Archer's research highlights failure, but some working-class students succeed.

Ingram's Study

Focuses on two groups of working-class boys from a deprived Belfast neighborhood, one attending grammar school and the other secondary school.
Grammar school emphasizes high achievement, while the secondary school embodies low expectations.

Ingram's Findings

Working-class identity tied to their locality, creating a strong sense of belonging.
Tension exists between neighborhood identity and middle-class school expectations, necessitating difficult choices for success.

Example from Ingram's Study - Callum

Callum faced ridicule for wearing a tracksuit to school, illustrating the clash between home and school identities and resulting in symbolic violence.

Class Identity and Self-Exclusion - Evans Study

Working-class girls showed reluctance to apply to elite universities due to feelings of not fitting in and attachment to localities.

Bourdieu on Self-Exclusion

Views elite institutions as 'not for the likes of' working-class students, driven by ingrained beliefs about fitting in.

Reay et al on Self-Exclusion

Highlights the narrowing of options for working-class pupils due to self-exclusion from elite universities.

Comparative Findings - Evans, Ingram, Archer

Consistent pattern: middle-class education devalues working-class experiences and choices.
Working-class pupils are often forced to choose between their identities and education needed for success.

Relationship Between External and Internal Factors

Conflicts between external habitus and internal school expectations lead to feelings of alienation.
Restricted speech codes can lead to teachers labeling working-class pupils as less capable, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Home backgrounds can influence teacher perceptions, contributing to underachievement.
Poverty can lead to bullying, fostering internal processes like truanting and subsequently, academic failure.

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Description

This quiz explores key concepts in sociology, focusing on the relationship between working-class identities and educational outcomes. It highlights Bourdieu's notion of habitus and its implications for social class and underachievement. Test your understanding of these important sociological theories.