The consequences of individualization for boys in the Swedish school system

• The aim of this presentation/working paper is to contribute to the knowledge about why young men generally are less likely to study at the university than young women. Previous studies and reports have pointed out a number of explanations for that. Young men’s reluctance to go on to higher education, as well as boys’ relatively low grades in primary and secondary schools, has been explained with reference to gender theoretical arguments about constraining constructions of masculinity. Several gender-oriented studies show that it is not considered compatible with certain types of masculinity constructions to make an e ort in school and show an interest in further studies. A term used to explain the boys’ poor performance in school and lack of interest in higher studies is antiplugg kultur (cf. eg Nordberg 2008 SOU 2009: 64). is presentation/working paper aims to challenge these explanations and expand the understanding of why young men tend to not to see higher education as an option. e empirical data consists of extensive quanti- tative and qualitative studies in a western Swedish municipality during 2011-2014. e point of departure is primarily in the young men’s own stories about teaching in primary and secondary school and their perceptions of their interactions with teachers, study and career counsellors and others. e interplay between and consequences of contemporary constructions of masculinity (Connell, 1995-2003), and the individualisation of society (Giddens 1991; Beck 1992), which is reflected in the teachers and study and career counsellors practitioners, are the main theoretical elements to interpret the empirical material.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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