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

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.