Ethnicity and Subcultures

Question 1

What is a subculture

Answer 1

• a subculture is a group with its own norms and values that differ from mainstream norms and values
• Pro-school, anti-school, laddish and ethnic subcultures are common in education

Question 2

Ethnic Subcultures

Answer 2

Subcultures often formed based upon understanding of own ethnicity
- Asian Girls (Shain)
- Muslim boys (Archer)
- Black Caribbean (Sewell)

Question 3

Asian Girls

Answer 3

• Shain - female school subcultures of Asian girls
  - Gang Girls - refusal to integrate into mainstream culture as a reaction to perceived racist behaviour
  - Survivors - conformed
  - Rebels - acted against their home norms and community values
  - Faith - prioritised religion and their parents values

Question 4

Muslim Boys

Answer 4

• Archer - examined the rejection felt by Muslim boys in education
• Identified with black culture
• Macho-subculture focused on male dominance

Question 5

Black Subcultures

Answer 5

Sewell
- Conformists
- Innovators
- Retreatists
- Rebels
- Innovators and Rebels adopted anti-school stances, but behaviours different in rebels more reactive to racism

Question 6

Evaluations

Answer 6

• Victim blaming approach of Sewell has been criticised
• Is cause of subculture due to ethnicity or as reaction to racism in schools
• Some groups were pro-education but anti-school - Fuller research
• Explanations for identity formation