Young Peoples Negotiations of Style-Identity and Educational Engagement - Essay Example

Case Study Report Part This essay partially seeks to provide insights to Archer et al work d: s not for me – I’m a Nike Person: Urban, Working-Class Young People’s Negotiations of Style-Identity and Educational Engagement. The background of the case study Archer et al (2007) argue that the government is wishing to increase the entry of number of young individuals in the working class into higher learning institutions. This has been prompted by the realisation of the low number of students from the working class attending university. The majority of these students abandon education or studies approximately at the age of sixteen. Archer et al (2000) research is a part of a study of the urban young individuals in the social class of working class. The research considers the modalities of investments of individuals of a social group in not only style but also identity which in turn shape their perception of not valuing university education. Moreover, they do not consider themselves as university materials. The issues the case study seeks to address The case study seeks to examine the aspirations and identities of young persons in London schools. These young persons have been identified as having the higher chances of not continuing their education beyond the age of 16 or drooping out of school (education). The identity the young in the urban working class take and act out is based on the knowledge that peers in the middle class look down on them. This is in reference to the society at large, as well as, the systems of the schools. Archer et al (2007) argue the youth in the urban working class active negotiation is based on the position of being disadvantaged socially in reference to certain style such as tem claiming to be Nike persons. The adoption of this style has reinforced the reality that they are not only marginalized but also disadvantaged in terms of their social status. Consequently, they end up in conflict with both the system of the school and the teachers, as well. Their view and perception that they are not university material minimizes their chances of success in education. Archer et al (2007) explain that researchers have found out that the style of the urban youths in the working class tends to differ from the middle class. This is one of the factors that contribute to inequalities in education. The description and evaluation of the approach taken in the cases study The research was carried out in six schools that were spread across London. Two of the schools were from the West, two from the North, and the other two from East and Central London. The selection of pupils was diverse and was based on data concerning their achievements in reference to the Department of Education. The selected schools exhibited high proportions of pupils who were on only underachieving but also from areas that were disadvantaged. In order to access the schools the head teachers were contacted who in turn became the gate keepers to the form tutors of year 10 and 11. In addition, the researchers were also put in touch with some of the schools’ support staff. The school identified the pupils who were at the risk of dropping out of studies/school after which the research team contacted their parents and the pupils, as well, to seek their permission so that the pupils would be interviewed. The participants in the interviews entailed only those who had agreed to take part inclusive of their parents’ consent. The interview as a method of data collection entailed 53 pupils from both tear ten and eleven. Moreover, the focus was on group discussions, diaries in photographic forms, and interviews that were semi-structured while interviewing the teachers. The majority of the pupils interviewed were aged between 14 and 16 and they were interview four time. Some in the sample group abandoned the study either due to changing details of their contacts or moving away. Moreover, the sample consisted of 30 boys and 23 girls with diversity in ethnicity. For an instant, 36 were white UK, 6 from mixed ethnicity, one Caribbean/ Black African, 3 Middle Eastern, 4 Asian, and three white other. These young individuals lived in areas that were socially advantaged and characterized by crime, drug abuse, and high poverty level. Furthermore, the schools they attended were perceived unattractive and unsubscribed in comparison to other schools in London. The majority of those interviewed, during their schooling career, had repeatedly failed their constant exams and had instilled in their conscious that they well academically incapable. Besides the interviews that were semi-structured, 8 of the pupils were to keep their diaries that were photographic. They were to take photographs of all that they perceived meaningful to them, as well as those that reflected their daily lives and identity. In addition, 36 were participants in discussion groups. The data was mainly in qualitative aspect. The majority of the interviews were conducted within the premises of the schools though others were outside due to cases such as absenteeism. The description and analysis of the key findings and/or arguments in the journal The findings of Archer et al (2007) in the case study in discussion illuminates that there is a link between identity in terms of class and the style of the urban youth in the working class status. This style instills or rather inculcates sense or feeling of self-worth, as well as, value. It provides them with the ammunitions to resist their worthlessness that they are likely to experience while attending the schools perceived to be of low value in areas that are devalued. Moreover, they view their style to be ‘cool’ by relating it to the masculinity of the blacks. This is quite different from the middle class since the style symbolizes being tough. The social inequality has infiltrated the education system and those young urban in the working class category do not value education as much. The number in university or other learning institutions are low compared to those in the middle class as well as those in the upper class. As a protective or unconscious way of defending themselves, the urban young in the working class have devised a style that they can relate to as it gives them the sense of worthiness. Part 2 The key patterns of social inequality and diversity in the contemporary world Asthana (2010) illuminates that in most categories of learning, the boys are behind the girls by the age of five in Britain. Children who are from families that are poor are unlikely to achieve good grades in schools. The Caribbean black pupils have higher chances of being excluded from the education system. Moreover, four fifth of the pupils with special needs such as the disabled are bullied while approximately a third of women who subscribe to Muslim as a religion lack academic qualifications. This problem has persisted for quite sometimes despite the efforts by the British government to address these fault lines I the society in reference to the education system of Britain. Asthana (2010) further asserts that the Equality and Human rights commission’s (EHRC) report of 2010 resonates with her arguments. The EHRC report illustrates that the deep division of Britain’s education system. The inequalities have surfaced in all the facets of learning stages ranging from nursery to the university level. It can be attributed to race, disability, poverty, and problems the boy experience (Asthana, 2010). In terms of gender, the boys are lagging behind the girls when it comes to factors such as reasoning, solving problems, emotional and social development. At the age of five 53% of the boys in comparison to 72% had reached the anticipated level of writing. The boys don’t perform as expected at GCSE and the numbers of those who make it to the university are quite low. This phenomenon goes beyond academics since the report in discussion illuminates that there are higher potential of the boys being excluded from school. An educational psychologist Sbuttoni highlights that majority of the boys perceive the contemporary education unfit for them. The schools put a lot of focus on skills which are unfortunately irrelevant in adulthood. The other form of inequality in education is schools is bullying. Asthana (2010) argues that bullying is common in the classrooms, playgrounds and corridors of British schools. Quite a number of children have confessed to have either bullied or been bullied in one way or the other and the proportion of bullying tends to be high in reference to children or pupils with special needs. Poverty too has significantly contributed to the inequalities of education system. Studies reveal that a third of pupils who qualify for meals that are offered freely is an indicator of the level of deprivation of children by the age of 5. Approximately a quarter in numbers are the white, black Caribbean, and Bangladeshi boys are on frees meals across entirely all the schools. Moreover, those from poor families have a 50% chance of getting good results from GCSE though their chances of being permanently excluded are twice as much (Asthana, 2010). Interestingly, on racial basis, discrimination on race is one of the major contributors to inequality in the education system. For an instant, the poor black boys rarely achieve success in education in comparison to ether those from families that are relatively well of and those in the higher social status (Asthana, 2010). The identification and assessment of the relative importance of processes underlying change and stability in social divisions The political and social institutions determine the context with which persons or behave. Moreover, they determine the provision of resources for the survival of individuals. The social structures within which individuals find themselves tend to shape how people live and act. However, social institutions in some case are characterized by issues such as political exclusion, exploitation, and inequalities in terms of access to resources. It creates stratification in the society in that people become trapped into a particular situation in the society. Consequently, it results into poverty, inequity of power, and the denial of the fundamental human rights. Therefore, the fundamental human needs go unsatisfied, the groups in the society find themselves unable to access resources and they are excluded from patterns of institutions for making decisions. These forces emanate from unjust stratification and division leads to discrimination, lack of adequate education, and opportunities for employment. The faultiness of the system means that the processes within these systems are unlikely to provide solutions to the problem and effectively deal with the inequality and injustice. This is because the system has been designed to support the existing situation hence when conflict surfaces the system is likely to thwart it within its structures. However, conflicts will still prevail unless changes are introduced to the social structures. In scenarios where changes are not incorporated into systems, the chances of the changes being induced by violence tend to be high (Asthana, 2010). There have been several social changes in the UK and the nation has been affected either internally, as well as, their relationships with other countries. These changes have ranged from education system, labour and working class, and women history about empowerment among other. For example, there are bodies or institutions that have been formed to provide oversight and protection of the disadvantaged groups in UK. There are legislatives acts and processes that have been embedded into the rules and regulations of the country concerning the protections of the socially disadvantaged persons. An example of such a body is the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Moreover, in the education system which the government have realized the disadvantages and problem experienced by the socially disadvantaged groups, has put a lot of efforts towards combating these challenges. In fact, it has significantly made more steps towards stemming the inequalities in education that emanate from racial discrimination, poverty level et cetera. Finally the UK community is increasingly embracing the diversity and differences among the various groups (Asthana, 2010). Reference List: Archer, L et al (2007) ‘University’s not for Me – I’m a Nike Person’: Urban, Working-Class Young People’s Negotiations of ‘Style’, Identity and Educational Engagement, Sociology, 41, 2: 219–237 Asthana, A. (2010). Britain’s Divided Schools: A Disturbing Portrait of Inequality. Retrieved on 8th May 2015 from: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/oct/10/britains-divided-school-system-report Read More