Gender Differnces In Achivement - Identity, Class And Girls Achievemnt

Question 1

Identity, class and girls achievement

Answer 1

• while girls on average more highly than in the past, this does not mean that all girls are successful. In particular, there are social class differences in girls achievement.
• e.g, in 2013, only 40.6% of girls from poorer families (those eligible for free school meals) achieved five a*-c GCSEs, whereas over two thirds of those not on free school meals did so

Question 2

Symbolic capital

Answer 2

• according to feminists such as archer et al (2010), on reason for these differences is the conflict between working class girls feminine identities and the values and ethos of the school. In her study of working class girls, archer uses the concept of ‘symbolic capital’ to understand this conflict.
• symbolic capital refers to the status, recognition and sense of worth that we are able to obtain from others
• archer found that by performing their working class feminine identities, the girls gained symbolic capital from their peers. However, this brought them into conflict with school, preventing them from acquiring educational capital and economic capital
• archer identifies strategies that the girls followed for creating a valued sense of self. These included adopting a hyper heterosexual feminine identity, having a boyfriend and being ‘loud’

Question 3

Hyper heterosexual feminine identities

Answer 3

• many girls invested considerable time, effort and money in constructing ‘desirable’ and ‘glamorous’ hyper heterosexual, feminine identities. E.g, one girl spent all of the £40 a week she earned from babysitting on her appearance. They constructed identities that combined black urban American styles with unisex sportswear and ‘sexy’ clothes, makeup and hairstyles
• the girls performance of this feminine identity brought starts from their female peers group and avoided them being ridiculed or called a ‘tramp’ for wearing the wrong brand
• however, it also brought them into conflict with school. E.g, they were often punished for having the wrong appearance: too much jewellery, the wrong clothing or makeup and so on. Teachers saw girls preoccupation with appearance as a distraction that prevented them engaging with education
• this led to the school ‘othering’ the girls - defunding them as ‘not one of us’, incapable of educational success and thus less worthy of respect. Bourdieu describes this process as symbolic violence. Symbolic violence is the harm done by denying someone symbolic capital, e.g, by defining their culture as worthless
• according to archer, from the schools point of view, the ‘ideal female pupil’ identity is a de sexualised and middle class one that excluded many working class girls

Question 4

Boyfriends

Answer 4

• while having a boyfriend brought symbolic capital, it got in the way of schoolwork and lowered girls aspirations. This included losing interest in going to uni, in studying ‘masculine’ subjects such as science or in gaining a profession career. Instead these girls aspired to ‘settle down’, have children and work locally in working class feminine jobs such as childcare. One girl had to drop out of school after becoming pregnant

Question 5

Being ‘loud’

Answer 5

• some working class adopted ‘loud’ feminine identities that often led them to be outspoken, independent and assertive, e.g, questioning teachers authority. This failed to conform to the schools stereotype of the ideal female pupil identity as passive and submissive to authority and brought conflict with teachers, who interpreted their behaviour as aggressive rather than assertive

Question 6

Working class girls dilemma

Answer 6

• either gaining symbolic capital - from their peers by conforming to a hyper heterosexual feminine identity
• or by gaining educational capital - by rejecting their working class identity and conforming to the schools middle class notions of respectable, ideal female pupils
• some girls tried to cope with this dilemma by defining themselves as ‘good underneath’. This self image reflects the girls struggle to achieve a sense of self worth within an eduction system that devalues their working class feminine identities
• thus archer argues that working class feminine identities and educational success conflict with one anther. Working class girls investments in their feminine identities are a major cause of their underachievement

Question 7

‘Successful’ working class girls

Answer 7

• although working class in general are likely to underachieve, some do succeed and go on to higher education. However, even they may be disadvantaged by their gender and class identities, as Evan’s (2009) shows in her study of 21 working class sixth from girls south London comprehensive school.
• she found that the girls wanted to go to university to increase their earning power. However, thus was not for themselves, but to help their families. As one girl said, ‘the one thing i want to do is just give something back to my family really, that’s the most important thing to me, and helping my nan and all’
• the girls motivation reflected their working class feminine identities.

Question 8

‘Successful’ working class girls - Skeggs (1997)

Answer 8

• skeggs notes - ‘caring’ is a crucial part of this identity, and the girls in Evan’s study wished to remain at home and to contribute to their families
• economic necessity was a further reason for living at home cost and fear of getting into debt are major issues for many working class students in deciding which unis to apply to. However, while living at home made higher education more affordable, it also limited their choice of university and the market value of their degree
• but also living at home was not just an economic necessity. It was also a positive choice and an aspect of their working class identities. As archer (2010) shows, a presence a for the local key feature of working class habitus. The girls showed a strong preference for the local and familiar over the distant
• the gender identity of working class girls may play a significant part in their relative lack of success compared with middle class girls. As archer shows, a hyper heterosexual feminine identity puts working class girls at odds with the school. Evan’s demonstrates that, even for more successful working class girls, the ‘caring’ aspect of working class feminine identity produces a desire to live at home with their families while studying. This results in their self exclusion from elite unis further afield and places a limit on their success