Ethnic differences in achievement (external)

Question 1

Haleema Khanum (2014)
“They did well, but not Asian well”

Answer 1

in conducting interviews with a small sample of British-Asians students.
> Khanum found that education ambitions are shaped by the family and community life.
> high levels of cultural capital, combined with low levels of cultural deprivation were found among Indian students.
> high grades and no less were tolerated.
> Khanum found that positive, pro-education attitudes and values held across British-Asian families explains high levels of achievement.
EVALUATION - research is small scale and lacks representativeness, her interview only involved 12 students.

Question 2

Tony Sewell (2009)
Fathers, gangs and culture

Answer 2

Sewells interviews with black boys living in poorer areas in London, found clear evidence of cultural deprivation.
> Sewell believes it is home-background life that results in the underachievement of black boys.
> 60% of Black-Caribbean families are lone parent.
> the absence of a positive male role model means that young black boys are less disciplined - streets gangs are an easy temptation and include values that reject education, qualifications and academic success.
> gangs provide what Sewell calls a “perverse form of loyalty and love”
> media of young black boys does not help matters, since it creates the narrative that a black boy must be tough and avoid “selling out to the white establishment”
> it is no surprise that black boys underachieve in many cases.
EVALUATION - students are not always “culturally deprived” but at times just “culturally different”

Question 3

Material deprivation

Answer 3

> Pakistani and Bangladeshi people are over 3x more likely than white people to be in the poorest fifth of the population.
Unemployment is 3x higher for Black African, Bangladeshi and Pakistani people than for white people.
15% of ethnic minority households live in overcrowded conditions, compared to only 2% of white households.
Pakistanis are nearly 2x as likely to be in unskilled or semi-skilled jobs, compared to white people. Ethnic minority workers are more likely to be engaged in lower-paid shift work.

Question 4

Mike Noon(1993)

Answer 4

claims that ethnic minorities face racist discrimination in society.
> he sends identical letters with an enquiry about a job role to top 100 UK companies by fake names “Evans” and “Patel”.
> he found that companies were more encouraging of the white candidates - clear evidence of racism in society.
> companies form perceptions of ethnic minority groups including assumptions that they have a insecure grasp on English.
EVAL - progress is being made, which is being ignored - anti-discrimination laws and equal opportunity is increasing in society.