Gender - Identity, Class and Girls' Achievement - 'Successful' Working-Class Girls Flashcards
Are working class girls more likely to achieve or underachieve?
Working class girls are likely to underachieve.
Do some working class girls succeed into higher education and what may limit them from doing so?
Yes some working class girls achieve into higher education. However, they may be disadvantaged by their gender and class identities?
Who were the girls Evans studied?
Evans (2009) studied 21 working class sixth form girls from a comprehensive school in London.
What did Evans find the reason was for working class girls wanting to go to university?
Evans found that the girls wanted to go to university to increase their earning power.
What was the real reason why the working class girls wanted to go into university? (AO3)
Evans found that the girls wanted to go to university to help their families, not for themselves. They believed they had to ‘give something back’.
What did the girls’ motivation reflect?
The girls’ motivation reflected their working-class feminine identities.
What did Skeggs say was a crucial part of their working class feminine identity?
Skeggs (1997) notes that ‘caring’ is a crucial part of the working class feminine identity.
Did the girls in Evans study stay at home or live away while studying at university?
The girls in Evans’ study wished to stay at home and contribute to their families rather than go to university.
What was a reason girls stayed at home while studying at university?
Living at home was an economic necassity for girls.
Why was university an economic necessity for girls?
The cost and fear of getting into debt were major issues for many working class students in deciding which universities to apply to.
Even though it was more affordable, what was a limitation of living at home during higher education? (AO3)
However, while living at home made higher education more affordable, it also limited their choice of university and the market value of their degree.
Was living at home always an economic necessity?
No, it was also a positive choice and an aspect of their working class identities.
What does Archer say about staying local during university?
Archer (2010) shows that the preference to stay local during university is a key feature of working class habitus.
What do the findings of ‘successful’ working class girls show compared to middle class girls?
It shows that the gender identity of working class girls plays a significant part in their lack of success compared to middle class girls.
What does Archer say about the hyper-heterosexual feminine identity and school?
Archer shows a hyper-heterosexual feminine identity puts working class girls at odds with the school.
