<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This article explores the perceptions of a group of working class white boys living in the West Midlands area of the United Kingdom. Using original data generated from a series of in-depth personal interviews matters of educational underachievement, future job prospects and ambitions are explored. In capturing the ‘voice’ of the young people concerned specific attention is given to how a variety of social, economic and class-based factors shape their personal and collective perceptions. It is argued that the dominant social construction of the period of youth, commonly represented through the young people’s views, is underpinned by notions of marginalisation, problematisation, social exclusion and discrimination. The case is made for re-orientating the nature of school relationships and adjusting the curriculum to reflect the needs and experiences of the young people involved.</p></abstract>

This article explores the perceptions of a group of working class white boys living in the West Midlands area of the United Kingdom. Using original data generated from a series of in-depth personal interviews matters of educational underachievement, future job prospects and ambitions are explored. In capturing the ‘voice’ of the young people concerned specific attention is given to how a variety of social, economic and class-based factors shape their personal and collective perceptions. It is argued that the dominant social construction of the period of youth, commonly represented through the young people’s views, is underpinned by notions of marginalisation, problematisation, social exclusion and discrimination. The case is made for re-orientating the nature of school relationships and adjusting the curriculum to reflect the needs and experiences of the young people involved.

‘Reflections from the Margins’ - Working Class White Boys, Educational Underachievement and Uncertain Futures

Newman University College, School of Human Sciences, Genners Lane, Bartley Green, B32 3NT Birmingham,

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Social Change Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This article explores the perceptions of a group of working class white boys living in the West Midlands area of the United Kingdom. Using original data...

‘Reflections from the Margins’ - Working Class White Boys, Educational Underachievement and Uncertain Futures

Published Online: Feb 14, 2017

Page range: 101 - 119

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/scr-2016-0009

Keywords
Young people, Class Community, Educational underachievement, Problematization, Relationships, Curriculum

© by Stanley Tucker

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

‘Reflections from the Margins’ - Working Class White Boys, Educational Underachievement and Uncertain Futures

Published Online: Feb 14, 2017

Page range: 101 - 119

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/scr-2016-0009

KeywordsYoung people, Class Community, Educational underachievement, Problematization, Relationships, Curriculum

© by Stanley Tucker

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Young people, Class Community, Educational underachievement, Problematization, Relationships, Curriculum