Topic 4 - Identity, class + girls' achievement

Archer et al (2010) - conflict been w/c girls' fem identities + values of school is a reason for class diffs b/ween girls. Study of w/girls, uses concept of 'symbolic capital' to understand conflict - refers to status, recognition + sense of wealth able to obtain from others.

Found by performing w/c fem identities, gained symbolic capital from peers, but brought them into conflict w/ school - prevents them from acquiring ed capital (qualifications) + econ capital (m/c careers).

A identifies strategies girls followed for creating valued sense of self, inc hyper-heterosexual fem identity, having a boyfriend + being 'loud'.

Spend lot of time, effort + money on 'desirable' + 'glamourous' hyper-heterosexual, fem identities. Combined black urban American styles w/ unisex sportswear + '****' clothes, make-up + hairstyles.

Performance of this identity -> status from peer group, avoided being ridiculed for wearing wrong brand. Also conflict w/ school - punished for wrong appearance. Teachers saw it as distraction preventing them from engaging w/ ed -> school 'othering' girls - defined them as 'not one of us', incapable of ed success, less worthy of respect. Bourdieu describes this as symbolic violence - harm done by denying symbolic capital.

Archer - school's POV, 'ideal female pupil' identity is de-sexualised + m/c one that excludes many w/c girls.

Having boyfriend -> symbolic capital, but got in way of schoolwork, lowered aspirations. Loss of interest i going to uni + studying 'masc' subjects eg science, or gaining professional career. Instead, aspired to 'settle down', have children, work locally in w/c fem jobs eg childcare. 1 girl dropped out after becoming pregnant.

-> being outspoken, independent + assertive, eg questioning teachers' authority. Didn't conform to school's 'ideal pupil', -> conflict w/ teachers - saw behaviour as aggressive rather than assertive.

Dilemma:

• gaining symbolic capital from peers by conforming to hyper-heterosexual fem identity
• gaining ed capital by rejecting w/c identity, conforming to school's m/c notion of repsectable, ideal female pupil.

Some try + cope w/ dilemma by defining themselves as 'good underneath' (despite teachers' neg views of them) - reflects struggle to achieve sense of self-worth in ed sys that devalues w/c fem identities.

Archer argues w/c fem identities + ed success conflict w/ each other- w/c girls' investments in fem identities main cause of underachievement.

Evans (2009) study of 21 w/c 6th form girls in South London comp. Found girls wanted to go to uni to increase earning power,  but not for themselves, but to help families. Motivation reflected w/c fem identities - Skeggs (1997) caring important part of identity. Econ necessity further reason for living at home - cost + fear of debt major issue when deciding which unis to apply to. 

Living at home also positive choice + aspect of w/c identities - Archer (2010) - shows preference for local is key featyre of w/c habitus. Girls show strong preference for local + familar over distant.

Gender identity of w/c girls may play part is lack of success compared w/ m/c girls. Archer - hyper-heterosexual fem identity puts w/c girls at odds w/ school. Evans - even more successful w/c girls, 'caring' aspect of w/c fem identity -> desire to live at home w/ families while studying -> self-exclusion from elite unis further away - limits success.