Browsing by Subject "Beverley Skeggs"

Goals. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the effects of class background on individual’s educational path, especially university studies, and entering academic workforce. Previous research show that students with non-academic background experience university as defining and alien, but also that gained university degrees alienate them from the members and values of their original class background. According to research the impact of social class has not decreased: the concept of class order covers historical and cultural climates which still influence current approaches, although diversity within classes has increased and general workforce changed. In this dissertation I explore social class as an individual lived experience with the concepts of inscription, respectability, and legitimation by Beverley Skeggs. I set two research questions: 1) How do inscription, respectability, and legitimation entangle with educational path and attending academic workforce? 2) In my data, what similar or divergent lived experiences of class transitions were described by the women with non-academic family background? Methodology. The data contain biographic interviews of four women, which were themed by periods of educational path and finding employment in academic field. The analysis of data was theory-based, that is inscription, respectability, and legitimation by Skeggs were the premise. Results and conclusions. The results showed that social class background affected on integrating academic education and work force by shutting individuals out: studies slowing down because of work or aimless wandering were part of educational paths, and upper middle-class values typical to academic world were not experienced as inclusive. However, interviewees did not experience themselves as victims, but active agents who found studying and taking degrees pleasurable and meaningful. Devotion to educate themselves, as well as succeeding in studies, stood out in the interviews. This dissertation extends previous research with the observation of the importance of guidance, especially during general secondary education and university studies. Offspring of non-academic families had no knowledge of educational or work opportunities, their own competence or how to compile their university studies, and they found institutional guidance lacking. Also, family support was highlighted, as well as families’ ignorance in the ways to support their school-thriving child or how to take advantage of schooling system in order to benefit educational path.