This book presents the evidence gathered from original interviews to show how the aspirations of young people develop in light of their social circumstances. Those who attend independent schools will find that the relationship between what goes on at home and at school makes it socially almost impossible not to have achievable aspirations for a…

This paper discusses a problem of educational equity in the British educational system. Specifically, the document focuses on a group of working class white male students who undermine school authority, promote social class entrapment, and essentially disqualify themselves from educational opportunities. Increasingly, British public secondary…

Explores the Accelerated Christian Education Curriculum used in a working class, fundamentalist Baptist school in upstate New York. This school blends behaviorism and Calvinism, using rules to regulate students' behavior and cubicle "offices" to isolate students. Speculates on the congruency of this social reproduction approach with…

Family socialization is a social mechanism of the reproduction of social inequality from one generation to the next. The argument about the "class-specific socialization," which stopped in the 1970s, is being taken up again with this discussion and developed further towards a theory of socio-structural and situation-specific…

Examines the changing social character of upper secondary schools (noncompulsory education, generally regarded as a stepping stone to university) in England. Previously, upper secondary students tended to be academic high achievers, however, a shrinking job market has created an influx of working class youth. (MJP)

Explores the tension felt by young Canadian women between the desire for domesticity and the aspiration for economic independence. This tension is exacerbated by the dual messages sent by societal institutions (primarily school and the media) as well as economic and social change. (MJP)

Maintains that working class elementary schools in England enjoyed popular support due to their subordination to the needs of wartime national efficiency. Argues that this led directly to a postwar increase in vocational education. Disputes the claim that the 1918 Educational Act produced no discernible results. (MJP)

Criticizes the conservative movement's dismissal of class inequities in the British school system. Maintains that any critical analysis of social democratic alternatives to the current system must address the ways that class identities and social destinies are reproduced through state schooling. Doubts the efficacy of managerialist technically…

Provides a thorough and comprehensive look at the role played by socialists and anarchists in the adoption of a militant program of popular education in Spain between 1868 and 1939. Their efforts spanned a broad range of issues including vocational training, cultural and artistic activities, and educating workers' children. (MJP)

Calls for an expansion of the objectives of vocational education to include consideration of the nature, value, and purpose of work. Finds justification for this in the changing job market and John Dewey's original conception of vocational education. Suggests that some form of this approach become part of all students' curriculum. (MJP)

Considers the reaction to anti-racist change among white British secondary school students. Efforts to include the students in this process have included the conceptualization of white ethnicity. Discusses the development of this concept and efforts to keep it free of racist and nationalist sentiments. (MJP)