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“Doing Science and Mathematics” or “Doing Good Student”: The Cultural Production of Young Women in Upper Secondary Science and Mathematics
Abstract
This chapter explores how young women in upper secondary education navigate the cultural expectations embedded in school science and mathematics. Drawing on the concept of cultural production and identity and gender as performative, the analysis is based on 32 semi-structured individual interviews with self-identifying young women. Four themes are identified: the cultural production of practice, of the sciences, of school, and of gender. The findings are presented through three young women – Sima, Iben, and Elissa – who exemplify different ways of negotiating and making meaning of these cultural expectations. Engagement with science and mathematics was often reduced to reproducing correct answers and performing “good student” behavior or shaped by a sense of disconnection from the subjects. The findings show that the alignment of institutional culture with gender norms limited the possibilities of being recognized as a top performer while performing young woman. Implications are discussed with focus on how gender norms shape access to recognition in science and mathematics.
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