Gender distinction has been shown to characterise both undergraduate experiences and outcomes. Yet research recounted in this article supports work that shows that young people are often unaware of such trends, subscribing instead to individualist perspectives that foreground equality of opportunity and agency. This article examines the gender…

High achievement, and in particular, the role of the academically diligent and successful "boffin" or "geek", are notably under-researched areas in the sociology of education. Issues around gender and other aspects of identity in relation to such pupils are particularly under-researched. In this Viewpoint article we draw on evidence from our…

Recent gender theorising has been enlivened by post-structuralist accounts of gender as "disembodied"; the reading of gender performances as distinct from sexed bodies. However, there has been little application of such theoretical positions to empirical analysis in gender and education. This article employs two such positions--that of "female…

This viewpoint explores and shares our experience of "doing" feminism in the context of its apparent "demise". We were recently invited to attend an event at the Cabinet Office, to "discuss the impact aspirations and expectations within the community have on the educational achievement of young people in deprived areas". The seminar was entitled,…

The notion that teachers' classroom behaviour and interaction with pupils may be predicted on the basis of their gender underpins recent controversial campaigns to recruit more male teachers in the UK. Teachers' performances of gender are explored in this article, which draws on three cases from a larger study to analyse the ways in which teachers…

Discusses the extent to which poststructuralist theory can be applied to feminist research. Explores why some feminist researchers are attracted to poststructuralist theory and others are not. Distinguishes between application of poststructuralist theory to descriptive theory and to emancipatory research. Argues that pure poststructuralism is not…

Investigates whether primary school girls took up powerful positions in role-play groups and how these children were positioned through gender discourses during their interaction. Analysis suggests that children's constructions of gender appear potentially to empower boys and disempower girls in interaction. It suggests that discourse analysis can…