Card 39 - Gender Differential Attainmet: Male Underachievement: Anti-school Subcultures

Question 1

Summarise Mac an Ghail.

Answer 1

• Claimed male peer groups reproduce a number of male masculine gender identities.
• E.g the ‘macho’ working class lads tried to label the working class boys who worked hard as ‘dickhead achievers’.
• As well as finding middle class boys often tried to seem as if they were ‘effortlessly achieving’.
• Also found that from lower school to upper sixth form the masculine gender identity changed from macho to effortless achievement.
• The masculine identity changed from that based on toughness to that based on ability.

Question 2

Summarise Willis.

Answer 2

• Studied a group of 12 working class boys (who he called ‘the lads’), who rejected the norms and values of their schools and set up their own subculture.
• Called conformist boys ear’ols because they listen to teachers.
• However Willis notes they perform the very function they’re trying to rebel against from two reasons:
• Having been used to school and work being seen as boring, they expect no fun from work and are good at finding diversions to cope with them.
• The act of rebellion guarantees they will not have the qualifications for anything other than unskilled manual jobs.