Girls' Symbolic Capital - WC Dilemma

Feminist Archer (2010) suggests one reason for class differences in girls achievement is the conflict between working class girls’…

Feminine identities and the values and ethos of the school

She uses the concept of ‘symbolic capital’ to understand this conflict (from her study). This refers to the status,…

Recognition and sense of worth that we are able to obtain from others

Archer found that by performing their working class feminine identities, focusing on __________________________, the girls gained symbolic capital from their peers

Their appearance, makeup, hair, nails

But this brought then into conflict with the school. They ‘______’ so they feel _____________ and their culture is deemed _______________

Other

Incapable of success

Worthless (symbolic violence)

This prevents them from acquiring _____________ (qualifications) and _____________ (middle class careers)

Education capital

Economic capital

Strategies WC girls use to create a sense of worth:

1) Hyper heterosexual feminine identities - contrasting ‘_____________’ identities with ________________

Glamorous and sexy

Designer bags and jewellery

2) Having boyfriends - brings symbolic capital but ___________ (including _________, studying masculine subjects, gaining professional career)

3) Being loud - being outspoken, independent and assertive, often interpreted by teachers as _____________

Lowers aspirations

University

Being aggressive

WC girls gain symbolic capital from their peers by _________ to a hyper heterosexual feminine identity, ______________

Conforming

But fail educationally

Or gain educational capital by rejecting their working class identity and conforming to the…

School's middle class notions of a respectable, ideal female pupil