The “Boy Turn” in Research on Gender and Education
Abstract
Although the majority of research in gender and education has rightly focused on girls, recent research in the United States and elsewhere has focused much more on the learning, social outcomes, and schooling experiences of boys. This “boy turn” has produced a large corpus of theoretically oriented and practice-oriented research alongside popular and rhetorical works and feminist and pro-feminist responses, each of which this article reviews. To answer why boys have become such a concern at this time, this article explores the origins and motivations of the boy turn, examines major critiques of the distress about boys, and suggests possible directions for debates and research.
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These gender differences follow the trend widely reported in urban schools with predominantly African-American populations, where boys underperform compared to girls.
“These follow the trend that has been widely reported in urban schools with predominantly African-American populations, where the boys under perform in comparison to the girls (Graham, 2000; Lynch, 2000; Weaver-Hightower, 2003; Witherspoon, Speight, & Thomas, 1997).”
From Standardized test outcomes for students engaged in inquiry‐based science curricula in the context of urban reform (2008) · cites this paper as Weaver-Hightower, 2003
The research literature has frequently identified a pattern of lower measured achievement in urban minority boys when compared with their female peers (Graham, 2000; Lynch, 2000; Weaver-Hightower, 2003; Witherspoon et al., 1997).
“The research literature has frequently identified a pattern of lower measured achievement in urban minority boys when compared with their female peers (Graham, 2000; Lynch, 2000; Weaver-Hightower, 2003; Witherspoon et al., 1997).”
From Standardized test outcomes for students engaged in inquiry‐based science curricula in the context of urban reform (2008) · cites this paper as Weaver-Hightower, 2003
Cites
Bederman, G. (1995) · University of Chicago Press · doi:10.7208/chicago/9780226041490.001.0001 · Cited by 1,539 · see citing works
Being Someone Else: Using dance in anti-oppressive teaching
GARD, M. (2003) · Educational Review · doi:10.1080/0013191032000072236 · Cited by 45 · cited 2× · see citing works
“…and Fletcher (1995); Brozo (2002); Brozo and Schmelzer (1997); Connell (1996); Davies et al. (1994); Denborough (1996); Evans and Davies (2000); Gard (2003); Gilbert and Gilbert (1998); Gurian (2001); Head (1999); Jackson and Salisbury (1996); Katz and Jhally (1999); Martino (2001); Maynard…”
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Hegemonic Masculinity/Masculinities in South Africa: Culture, Power, and Gender Politics
Morrell, R., Jewkes, R., & Lindegger, G. (2012) · Men and Masculinities · doi:10.1177/1097184x12438001 · Cited by 485 · see citing works
Geier, R., Blumenfeld, P. C., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Fishman, B., Soloway, E., & Clay‐Chambers, J. (2008) · Journal of Research in Science Teaching · doi:10.1002/tea.20248 · Cited by 423 · see citing works
Enhancing student motivation and engagement: The effects of a multidimensional intervention
Martin, A. J. (2008) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2006.11.003 · Cited by 293 · see citing works
Sex differences in academic achievement are not related to political, economic, or social equality
Stoet, G., & Geary, D. C. (2015) · Intelligence · doi:10.1016/j.intell.2014.11.006 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Not Just for Boys: Good Pedagogy is Good for All
Hughes, S. (2014) · in education · doi:10.37119/ojs2014.v20i1.114
- Authors
- Weaver-Hightower, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Venue
- Review of Educational Research
- Published
- 2003-12
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 471-498
- ISSN
- 0034-6543 (ISSN-L)
- 1935-1046
- OpenAlex
- W2102869339
- Cited by
- 434
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 41 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 26.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Review of Educational Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Sexuality, and Education
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
- Keywords
- boys' education, gender and education, masculinity, feminist criticism, school experience
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