T2 | Identity Flashcards
What is the working class girls’ dilemma?
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.
What does Archer say about the working class girls’ dilemma?
> 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
What are hypersexual feminine identities?
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.
How may boyfriends have an impact on girls’ identities and education according to sociologists?
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.
How may adopting a “loud” identity affect girls’ achievement in education?
Some working class girls adopted a loud feminine identity that often lead them to be outspoken, independent and assertive (Eg. girls questioning teachers authority).
