Intersectionality - Sociologists

Which Sociologists talked about W/C Boys and Crisis of Masculinity?

Mitsos and Browne

Jackson

Murray

Ward

W/C Boys and Crisis of Masculinity - Mitsos and Browne

decline in male employment opportunities due to globalisation led to an ‘identity crisis’ - low self-esteem and motivation to get grades; unable to get a ‘proper job’

• ‘macho’ manual jobs reflected traditional male W/C identities

W/C Boys and Crisis of Masculinity - Jackson

W/C boys may have responded to these threats to their traditional identities by turning to Laddish behaviour to restore their sense of masculinity

W/C Boys and Crisis of Masculinity - Murray

New Right - presence of welfare benefits has led to boys being happy to leave schools without qualifications; no aspirations beyond being unemployed

W/C Boys and Crisis of Masculinity - Ward

From labouring to learning - examines young W/C men in de-industrialised South Wales community

• closure of local manual jobs - no jobs to express masculinity

• Boiz - group adhered to traditional W/C masculinity, favouring ‘male’ subjects like physical education and motor vehicle studies, disruptive in class, significant numbers in university, traditional activities

• Geeks - studious and well-behaved, achieving high grades, most progressing to university, broad range of A-levels, escape W/C roots, aimed for M/C careers

Which Sociologists talked about W/C Girls and Symbolic Capital?

Archer

Evans

Skeggs

W/C Girls and Symbolic Capital - Archer

conflict between W/C identities and school values - girls gained symbolic capitals from their peers; conflict with school - unable to acquire educational capital and economic capital

• Hyper-Heterosexual Feminine Identities - being ‘glamourous’, told off by teachers, makeup and jewellery, rejected from education

• Boyfriends - improves symbolic capital, got in the way of schoolwork and lowered girl’s ambitions

• Being ‘loud’ - outspoken, questioning teachers’ authority, teachers saw behaviour as aggressive rather than assertive

W/C Girls and Symbolic Capital - Evans

studied 21 W/C girls in London comprehensive

• girls wanted to go to university to increase their earning power - help their families (‘give back to my family’)

W/C Girls and Symbolic Capital - Skeggs

girls motivation reflected their feminine identities - ‘caring’ is a main part of this identity

• girls wanted to contribute to their families - used this motivation to succeed