Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyse working-class mothers’ narratives of social interactions among parents at their children’s schools. A special focus is paid to the emotions that arise in such interactions and their role in the reproduction of class. A narrative analysis of six stories of white, working-class mothers of compulsory school aged children was carried out. The study is set in Iceland, which gives a unique opportunity for classed and gendered analysis of parental communities as the country is at the forefront of gender equality in the world. Additionally, the compulsory school system is still relatively unsegregated. Findings show that the parental communities reproduce the symbolic violence endured by the working-class mothers within the field of education. Accounts of resistance and anger are present in some of the accounts but affective responses such as inferiority and shame are all-encompassing and contribute to the reproduction of class.

摘要

本研究的目的是分析工人阶级母亲对子女学校父母之间社会互动的叙述。特别关注在这种互动中产生的情绪及其在阶级再生产中的作用。对义务教育适龄儿童的白人工人阶级母亲的六个故事进行了叙事分析。该研究以冰岛为背景，这为对父母社区进行分类和性别分析提供了独特的机会，因为该国处于世界性别平等的前沿。此外，义务教育制度仍然相对不隔离。研究结果表明，父母社区再现了工人阶级母亲在教育领域所忍受的象征性暴力。