Subcultures Flashcards
Lacey
Study of a m/c grammar school, found 2 related processes- differentiation + polarisation
Lacey- Differentiation
Schools value hard work, good behaviour + exam success, teachers categorise students based on these criteria
Lacey- Polarisation
Students attracted to poles, conformist, high achieving pro-school subcultures, and low achieving, negatively labelled, anti-school subcultures
Lacey- Support
Hangreaves (Secondary Modern), Ball (Streamed Comprehensive), Abraham (Comprehensive with setting)
Found teacher’s perception of academic ability and differentiation + polarisation affected how they behaved
Pro-School Subcultures- Definition
Groups of pupils who generally conform to academic aims, ethos, and values of a school.
Pro-School Subcultures- Characteristics
Typically upper streams/sets, successful academically, good behaviour, conformist, engaged in lessons, good uniform
Likely to be m/c or skilled w/c
Pro-School Subcultures- Willis
‘Ear ‘Oles’- conformist pupils in Willis’ study of Wolverhampton comprehensive
More likely to be m/c
Pro-School Subcultures- Mac an Ghaill
2 male groups- Academic Achievers and New Enterprisers
Skilled manual w/c, white or Asian students, aspiring to m/c careers, through academic or vocational/technical success respectively.
Pro-School Subcultures- Sewell
Conformists- among some black pupils, sought to achieve academic success to avoid racist labelling/stereotypes from teachers
Anti-School Subcultures- Definition
Groups of pupils who rebel against the school and develop an alternative, anti-school identity. Subculture of resistance, delinquent values, attitudes + behaviours, opposition to school aims, ethos, and values
Anti-School Subcultures- Characteristics
Truancy, playing up teachers, messing around, breaking school rules, copying work, disrupting school
Often lower streams/sets, poor educational achievement
Likely Black Caribbean and white British w/c
Anti-School Subcultures- Willis
‘Lads’- opposed to main aims of school, aimed to free themselves from boring, oppressive schooling by ‘having a laff’
Wanted to leave education as soon as possible
Anti-School Subcultures- Mac an Ghaill
Black Caribbean w/c boys in lower sets.
‘Macho lads’ and ‘the rebels’- subculture of resistance
Achieved status through aggressive masculinity + peer-group support
Anti-School Subcultures- Sewell
Black Caribbean w/c boys, rejection of school as a rebellion against racist stereotypes and labelling
Anti-School Subcultures- Jackson
13-14 boys and girls, some girls adopt ‘ladette’ behaviour, similar to ‘laddish’ culture of boys.
Similar too cool to work approach- confrontational + aim to make teachers’ lives hell
But many girls tried to achieve success clandestinely
Woods
Two poles too simple- identified eight different responses to school ranging from pro to anti
Ingratiation, Compliance, Opportunism, Ritualism, Retreatism, Colonisation, Intransigence, Rebellion
Woods- Ingratiation (1)
Pro-school conformity as in pro-school subculture
Eagerness to please teachers + win favour
Woods- Compliance (2)
Conformity for what they can get out of schooling, such as exam success, not because they like school
Woods- Opportunism (3)
Trying to gain teacher + peer group approval, moving between both depending on what is beneficial at the time
Woods- Ritualism (4)
Lack of interest or engagement, but projected conformity by going through the motions + avoiding trouble
Woods- Retreatism (5)
Not actively opposed to school values, indifferent to them. Messing around in class, distracted, indifferent to success, dropping out from involvement
Woods- Colonisation (6)
Accept school for what it offers, but reject it for what it forbids. Take opportunities for fun, aggression, and hostility so far as they avoid trouble.
Woods- Intransigence (7)
Trouble makers- indifferent to school and unbothered about consequences of non-conformity
Woods- Rebellion (8)
Outright rejection of schooling and its values. Anti-school activity and anti-school subculture
