Learning to be male : effects of heterosexual hierarchies on the educational development of working class males in transition.

This thesis draws on previous work by Apple (1992; 1993), Mac An Ghaill
(1996, 1997, 1998), Connell «1994) and others along with the recorded
dialogue of working-class males to argue that there is a link between
heterosexual hierarchies and educational attainment. I suggest that link is
often obstructive in society, communities, the home and importantly in
school. Furthermore, schools too often inadvertently magnify and even
promote the adverse effects of the hierarchies by the way they treat students
and the relationship between the school and parents. Schools and learning
in working-class communities needs to be understood through the lens of
heterosexual hierarchies.
The study highlights the issues faced by students within communities in
transition from industrial era to modern era and draws particularly on the
work of Bernstein (1977,1990) and Bourdieu (1977). These communities
face not only development difficulties but often less appreciated, entrenched
attitudes to learning and education, from teachers and community members,
which work against the use of education to solve the development problems
and create a virtuous-cycle of education and development within workingclass
communities. Phillips (1991, 1993, 1999) is most helpful in framing the
public/private debate which is used in the thesis to argue for much more
open access and breaking down of barriers to education across the agerange
and within communities. Quicke (1994, 1999), lIIich (1986), Moran
(2004) and Field (2003) enable the findings of the enquiry to be placed
within the debate for a more appropriate curriculum which enables working-
2
class males to access experiences which will enhance their education and
change their attitudes to learning. Barnsley and in particular one school, from
which many of the young lads were drawn, is used as a case study.