School Choice, Race and Social Anxiety: Exploring French Middle-Class Parental Risks

This book explores how Frances dominant social and political ideology and prevailing cultural conventions abate the effects of race and anxiety within school choice, particularly among public-school middle-class parents living among immigrants in the diverse Paris suburbs. It demonstrates how experienced and more qualified teachers move to less diverse schools, leading to racist perceptions in French school choice. It will be of interest to academics, policymakers, educators, and those interested in inequality, sociology of education, transnational and critical perspectives on race, schooling, and school choice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 164 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate dynamics of Frances dominant social and political ideology, as well as the prevailing cultural conventions, in their efforts to mitigate the effects of race and anxiety within the realm of school choice, particularly among public-school middle-class parents residing in the diverse Paris suburbs. Through a meticulously contextualized and critical analysis, the author sheds light on how these factors shape the educational experiences of these parents and their children.

The study employs innovative techniques to address the challenging topic of race, which is particularly sensitive in France. By focusing on the experiences of public-school middle-class parents living among immigrants, the book aims to unravel the impact of global risk, which is a source of social anxiety. The interviews conducted for this book took place during a period of heightened relevance, marked by a wave of deadly terrorism, mass migration of refugees, and the polarizing nature of a presidential election. These events added a poignant dimension to the discussions surrounding the study's topics.

The book demonstrates how race operates within the French education policy and practices by highlighting the career trajectories of experienced and qualified teachers. These teachers tend to move to less diverse schools, as they perceive them as having better students. This phenomenon reveals the racist perception that exists in French school choice, where education policies and parental choices often segregate immigrants into schools with inexperienced and unqualified teachers.

The book explores the cultural resistance to social anxiety created through global risk within the French context. By theorizing this resistance through parental dispositions, the author provides a fresh perspective on the issue. The book reveals the racist perception in French school choice by shedding light on the education policies and parental choices that perpetuate segregation and inequality.

This book holds significant appeal to academics engaged in upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as policymakers, educators, and individuals interested in inequality, sociology of education, transnational and critical perspectives on race, schooling, and school choice. It offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between social, political, and cultural factors that shape educational opportunities and outcomes.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032116167