Archer's Pupil Identities: Sociologists identify different 'identities' constructed by teachers. The Ideal Pupil is typically white and middle-class; the Pathologized Pupil is often Asian and seen as a 'plodder' who succeeds through over-achievement; and the Demonized Pupil is often Black or white working-class and seen as naturally unintelligent.
Sewell's Responses to Schooling: Students respond to labeling in various ways. Rebels reject school values entirely; Conformists accept school goals and rules; Retreatists disconnect from both school and subcultures; and Innovators value education but reject the school's formal authority.
Subcultural Resistance: Some students form anti-school subcultures as a way of gaining status among peers when they are denied status by the formal school system. This resistance is often a direct reaction to perceived racism or unfair treatment by staff.
Institutional Racism refers to discrimination that is built into the way schools and the education system operate, rather than just the prejudice of individual teachers. This includes policies that systematically disadvantage certain ethnic groups.
Marketization and Selection: Competitive school admissions can lead to 'cream-skimming,' where schools select students they believe will be easier to teach. Stereotypes about certain ethnic groups can influence these selection processes, making it harder for some students to access high-performing schools.
Ethnocentric Curriculum: A curriculum is 'ethnocentric' if it reflects the culture and values of one dominant ethnic group while ignoring others. For example, a history curriculum focusing almost exclusively on European achievements can make minority students feel excluded and lower their engagement with the subject.
| Feature | Individual Labeling | Institutional Racism |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Interactions between specific teachers and students. | Systemic policies, curriculum, and organizational structures. |
| Mechanism | Stereotypes, halo effect, and self-fulfilling prophecies. | Marketization, selection criteria, and ethnocentric content. |
| Impact | Affects individual self-esteem and immediate classroom behavior. | Creates broad patterns of inequality across the entire school system. |
Avoid Generalization: When discussing subcultures, remember that not all students from a specific ethnic group respond the same way. Use Sewell's archetypes to show the variety of responses (e.g., the 'Innovators' who succeed despite rejecting school rules).
Link to External Factors: While the focus is on internal factors, high-level answers often acknowledge how internal and external factors interact. For example, material deprivation (external) might lead to a student appearing 'unprepared,' which triggers a negative teacher label (internal).
Critical Evaluation: Always evaluate the theories. For instance, criticize labeling theory by noting that some students, like 'Fuller's girls,' may work harder to prove their negative labels wrong rather than succumbing to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
