First-Generation Students in East and West Germany: Theoretical Concepts and Initial Results. (June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Miethe, Ingrid; Soremski, Regina
• Is Part Of: Policy futures in education. Volume 12:Number 5(2014)
• Page Start: 658
• Page End: 669
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Subjects: Education -- Periodicals; Education and state -- Periodicals; 379.05
• DOI: 10.2304/pfie.2014.12.5.658
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-2103

Abstract

This article argues that the chances of successful educational upward mobility are more clearly assessed when educational decisions are interpreted not as isolated individual or family decisions, but in relation to their societal and political context. In order to do this, the authors propose a combination of Bourdieu's conception of habitus with the political process approach. In an ongoing biographical investigation concerned with first-generation students in East and West Germany, the author presents initial results which show the benefit of this theoretical concept.