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Cited by 308Career Development and DiversityScience Education and PerceptionsGender, Sexuality, and Education

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 83 of the 86 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

‘Not girly, not sexy, not glamorous’: primary school girls’ and parents’ constructions of science aspirations

Archer, Louise, DeWitt, Jennifer, Osborne, Jonathan, Dillon, Justin, Willis, Beatrice, Wong, Billy·2013·Pedagogy, Culture & Society
DOI 10.1080/14681366.2012.748676
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Abstract

Internationally, there is widespread concern about the need to increase participation in the sciences (particularly the physical sciences), especially among girls/women. This paper draws on data from a five-year, longitudinal study of 10–14-year-old children’s science aspirations and career choice to explore the reasons why, even from a young age, many girls may see science aspirations as ‘not for me’. We discuss data from phase one – a survey of over 9000 primary school children (aged 10/11) and interviews with 92 children and 78 parents, focusing in particular on those girls who did not hold science aspirations. Using a feminist poststructuralist analytic lens, we argue that science aspirations are largely ‘unthinkable’ for these girls because they do not fit with either their constructions of desirable/intelligible femininity nor with their sense of themselves as learners/students. We argue that an underpinning construction of science careers as ‘clever’/‘brainy’, ‘not nurturing’ and ‘geeky’ sits in opposition to the girls’ self-identifications as ‘normal’, ‘girly’, ‘caring’ and ‘active’. Moreover, we suggest that this lack of fit is exacerbated by social inequalities, which render science aspirations potentially less thinkable for working-class girls in particular. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential implications for increasing women’s greater participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

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Crossref · 10.1080/14681366.2012.748676

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Citations

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Show all 86 references

Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Archer , L. , Hollingworth , S. and Mendick , H. 2010 . Urban Youth and Schooling , Maidenhead : Open University Press .
  2. Bauman , Z. 2000 . Liquid Modernity , London : John Wiley & Sons .
  3. Carlone H.B. M. Cook J. Wong W. A. Sandoval A. C. Barton and E. Tan. 2008. Seeing and supporting identity development in science education. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 8th international Conference on the Learning Sciences Volume 3.
  4. Griffin , C. 1985 . Typical Girls , London : Routledge .
  5. Kenway , J. and Bullen , E. 2001 . Consuming Children , Maidenhead : Open University Press .
  6. Walkerdine , V. 1990 . Schoolgirl fictions , London : Verso Books .

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Metadata

Authors
Archer, L., DeWitt, J., Osborne, J., Dillon, J., Willis, B., & Wong, B.
Affiliations
  • King's College London (GB)
  • Stanford University (US)
Corresponding author
Archer, Louise
ORCID
Venue
Pedagogy, Culture & Society
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2013-02-18
Volume
21
Issue
1
Pages
171-194
ISSN
  • 0965-9757 (ISSN-L)
  • 1468-1366
  • 1747-5104
DOI
10.1080/14681366.2012.748676
OpenAlex
W2098468909
Cited by
308
References
86
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 4
FWCI
33.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Pedagogy Culture and Society (publishedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/F025475/1, ES/H00145X/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Career Development and Diversity
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Science Education and Perceptions
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Sexuality, and Education
Keywords
science aspirations, primary school girls, femininity, gender stereotypes, scientific careers, parental attitudes, working-class girls, social inequality, STEM participation, career choice, feminist poststructuralism, gender and science

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