T2 | Identity

Question 1

What is the working class girls’ dilemma?

Answer 1

Working class girls are faced with the dilemma: either gain symbolic capital from peers by conforming to a hyper-heterosexual feminine identity or gaining educational capital by rejecting class identity and conforming to the schools middle class notions of respectable ideal female pupil.

Question 2

What does Archer say about the working class girls’ dilemma?

Answer 2

> Archer
— He argues that working class feminine identities and educational success conflict with one another
— Working class girls’ investments in their feminine identities are a major cause of the underachievement

Question 3

What are hypersexual feminine identities?

Answer 3

Many girls invested considerable time, effort and money in constructing desirable and glamorous hyper-heterosexual feminine identities.
— The girls performance of this feminine identity, brought status from the female peer group and avoided them being ridiculed or called a “tramp” for wearing the wrong brand.

Question 4

How may boyfriends have an impact on girls’ identities and education according to sociologists?

Answer 4

Having a boyfriend brought symbolic capital, it got in the way of schoolwork and lowered girls’ aspirations.
— Leading to losing interest in going to university, studying masculine subjects and gaining a career.
— Instead, girls decide to settle down and have children, some have to drop out of school because of getting pregnant.

Question 5

How may adopting a “loud” identity affect girls’ achievement in education?

Answer 5

Some working class girls adopted a loud feminine identity that often lead them to be outspoken, independent and assertive (Eg. girls questioning teachers authority).