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Utbildningssegregation och självsortering : Om gymnasieval, genus och lokala praktiker

Sandell, Anna LU (2007)
Abstract
This thesis explores and analyzes segregation and self-sorting in education. It aims at discussing how this relates to gender, individualization and young men and women's positionings in local practices, through choices of upper secondary school education. It focuses on how young men and women cope with and adapt to the changing society in late modernity.



The thesis is based on three empirical studies as well as national and local statistics. Observations in a natural science programme class at upper secondary school, interviews with study and vocational counsellors and statistics made the foundation for an interview study with 35 ninth graders about to make their choice of upper secondary school education in a... (More)
This thesis explores and analyzes segregation and self-sorting in education. It aims at discussing how this relates to gender, individualization and young men and women's positionings in local practices, through choices of upper secondary school education. It focuses on how young men and women cope with and adapt to the changing society in late modernity.



The thesis is based on three empirical studies as well as national and local statistics. Observations in a natural science programme class at upper secondary school, interviews with study and vocational counsellors and statistics made the foundation for an interview study with 35 ninth graders about to make their choice of upper secondary school education in a middle-sized city with tradition of labour work. Statistics show a clear segregation among girls and boys at upper secondary school, especially when differentiated by class, geography, and to some extent ethnicity. The segregation continues on higher levels of education and then on to the labour market. This challenges political goals, both in gender equality and in education. It also challenges the late modernity demand for individualization. Theoretically this is explored with Bourdieu's concepts of habitus and capital as well as with late modernity concepts of cultural release, individualization, agency and positioning. Gender is explored by Harding's model for analyzing the gender order.



The interview study shows that both girls and boys distance themselves rhetorically from what is traditionally considered female. Both female domains and behaviour are lowly ranked. Girls? strategy is to choose gender neutral marked programmes. They experience restrictions on basis of their gender, and want to use education as a means to break gender patterns. The boys? also positioned themselves, but to a higher extent to avoid divergence from the hegemonic masculinity. These differences could not be seen in the observation study, which is interpreted as a result of the self-sorting young people do in relation to their gender and class.



The conclusion is that the place encourages girls and boys to act differently. The relation between structures and agency differs. Girls are, in the interview study, encouraged to have a broader perspective on education, future professions, moving and so on. Their future can also be looked for outside the place and the positionings they now possess. Boys are encouraged to have a narrower perspective on the same phenomenons. The place also enables for the boys to stay to a higher extent than for the girls. The boys have, for example, a local labour market that corresponds to their choices.



It is suggested that agency should be better supported in school. The pupils themselves stressed the importance of getting alternative experiences, for example through the work experience programme. It is also of importance that teachers encourage pupils to make changes in positions. The counsellors stressed the importance of doing outreached work and find pupils that do not voluntarily come to counselling. Through counselling, the pupils can be given tools for opening alternative ways. The gender marking of programmes could be loosened by introducing branches that attract the opposite gender. The naming of the programmes should also be under consideration. New technology and computers as means to enable changes in positionings are discussed. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Denna avhandling utforskar och analyserar segregation och självsortering i utbildning. Den syftar till att diskutera hur detta relateras till genus, individualisering och unga mäns och kvinnors positioneringar i lokala praktiker, genom val av gymnasieutbildning. Den fokuserar hur unga män och kvinnor hanterar och anpssar sig till det förändrade senmoderna samhället.



Avhandlingen bygger på tre empiriska studier såväl som på nationell och lokal statistik. Observationer i en naturvetenskapsklass i gymnasieskolan, intervjuer med studie- och yrkesvägledare samt statistik lade grunden för en intervjustudie med 35 niondeklassare, som just skulle välja gymnasieutbildning, i en... (More)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Denna avhandling utforskar och analyserar segregation och självsortering i utbildning. Den syftar till att diskutera hur detta relateras till genus, individualisering och unga mäns och kvinnors positioneringar i lokala praktiker, genom val av gymnasieutbildning. Den fokuserar hur unga män och kvinnor hanterar och anpssar sig till det förändrade senmoderna samhället.



Avhandlingen bygger på tre empiriska studier såväl som på nationell och lokal statistik. Observationer i en naturvetenskapsklass i gymnasieskolan, intervjuer med studie- och yrkesvägledare samt statistik lade grunden för en intervjustudie med 35 niondeklassare, som just skulle välja gymnasieutbildning, i en medelstor stad med arbetartraditioner. Statistik visar en tydlig segregation mellan tjejer och killar i gymnasieskolan, särskilt när kön differentieras av klass, geografi och i viss mån etnicitet. Segregationen fortsätter till högre utbildningsnivåer och sedan in i arbetsmarknaden. Detta utmanar politiska mål, både när det gäller jämställdhet och i utbildning. Det utmanar också senmodernitetens efterfrågan på individualisering. Teoretiskt undersöks detta med Bourdieus begrepp habitus och kapital likaväl som med senmoderna begrepp som kulturell friställning, individualisering, agentskap och positionering. Genus utforskas med Hardings modell för analys av genusordningen.



Intervjustudien visar att både tjejer och killar distanserar sig själva retoriskt från vad som traditionellt anses vara kvinnligt. Både kvinnliga domäner och beteenden rankas lågt. Tjejernas strategi är att välja könsneutralt märkta gymnasieutbildningar. De upplever begränsningar utifrån sitt kön och vill använda utbildning som medel för att bryta könsmönster. Killarna positionerar också sig själva, men i högre utsträckning för att undvika avvikelse från den hegemoniska maskuliniteten. Dessa skillnader kunde inte ses i observationsstudien, vilket tolkas som ett resultat av den självsortering som unga människor gör i relation till sitt kön och sin klass.



Slutsatsen är att platsen uppmanar tjejer och killar att agera olika. Relationen mellan strukturer och agentskap skiljer sig. Tjejer, i intervjustudien, uppmanas att ha ett bredare perspektiv på utbildning, framtida yrken, flytt o.s.v. Deras framtid kan sökas även utanför den plats och de positioner de nu befinner sig på. Killarna uppmanas att ha ett smalare perspektiv på samma företeelser. Platsen möjliggör också för killar att stanna i högre utsträckning än för tjejer. Killarna har, t.ex., en lokal arbetsmarknad som motsvarar deras gymnasieval.



Avhandlingen föreslår att agenskap bättre ska stödjas i skolan. Eleverna själva betonade vikten av att få alternativa erfarenheter, t.ex. genom PRAO. Det är också av vikt att lärare uppmuntrar elever att göra positionsförändringar. Studie- och yrkesvägledarna betonade vikten av att bedriva uppsökande verksamhet för att nå de elever som inte frivilligt kommer till dem. Genom vägledning kan eleverna ges verktyg för att öppna alternativa vägar. Könsmärkningen av gymnasieprogrammen kunde luckras upp genom att införa grenar som attraherar det motsatta könet. Likaså borde programmens namn ses över. Ny teknologi och datorer som medel för att möjliggöra positionsförändringar diskuteras också. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professpr Öhrn, Elisabeth, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen för pedagogik
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Pedagogy and didactics, segregation, gymnasieskolan, självsortering, segregation, lokala praktiker, genus, senmodernitet, Pedagogik, didaktik
pages
238 pages
publisher
Lärarutbildningen, Malmö högskola
defense location
Lärarutbildningen, Malmö högskola, sal D 138
defense date
2007-04-27 10:15:00
ISBN
978-91-976537-3-2
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
260d4784-34c7-4e4b-8953-845689dc8e0c (old id 27118)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:18:05
date last changed
2021-12-20 15:51:13
@phdthesis{260d4784-34c7-4e4b-8953-845689dc8e0c,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores and analyzes segregation and self-sorting in education. It aims at discussing how this relates to gender, individualization and young men and women's positionings in local practices, through choices of upper secondary school education. It focuses on how young men and women cope with and adapt to the changing society in late modernity.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The thesis is based on three empirical studies as well as national and local statistics. Observations in a natural science programme class at upper secondary school, interviews with study and vocational counsellors and statistics made the foundation for an interview study with 35 ninth graders about to make their choice of upper secondary school education in a middle-sized city with tradition of labour work. Statistics show a clear segregation among girls and boys at upper secondary school, especially when differentiated by class, geography, and to some extent ethnicity. The segregation continues on higher levels of education and then on to the labour market. This challenges political goals, both in gender equality and in education. It also challenges the late modernity demand for individualization. Theoretically this is explored with Bourdieu's concepts of habitus and capital as well as with late modernity concepts of cultural release, individualization, agency and positioning. Gender is explored by Harding's model for analyzing the gender order.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The interview study shows that both girls and boys distance themselves rhetorically from what is traditionally considered female. Both female domains and behaviour are lowly ranked. Girls? strategy is to choose gender neutral marked programmes. They experience restrictions on basis of their gender, and want to use education as a means to break gender patterns. The boys? also positioned themselves, but to a higher extent to avoid divergence from the hegemonic masculinity. These differences could not be seen in the observation study, which is interpreted as a result of the self-sorting young people do in relation to their gender and class.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The conclusion is that the place encourages girls and boys to act differently. The relation between structures and agency differs. Girls are, in the interview study, encouraged to have a broader perspective on education, future professions, moving and so on. Their future can also be looked for outside the place and the positionings they now possess. Boys are encouraged to have a narrower perspective on the same phenomenons. The place also enables for the boys to stay to a higher extent than for the girls. The boys have, for example, a local labour market that corresponds to their choices.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
It is suggested that agency should be better supported in school. The pupils themselves stressed the importance of getting alternative experiences, for example through the work experience programme. It is also of importance that teachers encourage pupils to make changes in positions. The counsellors stressed the importance of doing outreached work and find pupils that do not voluntarily come to counselling. Through counselling, the pupils can be given tools for opening alternative ways. The gender marking of programmes could be loosened by introducing branches that attract the opposite gender. The naming of the programmes should also be under consideration. New technology and computers as means to enable changes in positionings are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Sandell, Anna}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-976537-3-2}},
  keywords     = {{Pedagogy and didactics; segregation; gymnasieskolan; självsortering; segregation; lokala praktiker; genus; senmodernitet; Pedagogik; didaktik}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  publisher    = {{Lärarutbildningen, Malmö högskola}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Utbildningssegregation och självsortering : Om gymnasieval, genus och lokala praktiker}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}