The education of British South Asians : ethnicity, capital, and class structure

This analyzes the reasons for differential educational performance of South Asians, taking into consideration social class, ethnicity, capital (cultural, social and economic) and the effects of schools in the education of Bangladeshis, Indians and Pakistanis. This challenging and hard-hitting book critically informs the reader of the ways in which different ethnic minority groups achieve in education, and how. Although much is know about general issues in relation to the educational (under)achievements of certain ethnic minority groups, very little is actually understood about precise sub-group differences and, more significantly, how they are theoretically and empirically interrelated. This ground-breaking study analyses the reasons for difference taking into consideration social class, ethnicity, capital (cultural, social and economic) and the effects of schools in the education of Bangladeshis, Indians and Pakistanis in the city of Birmingham, UK. Using and in-depth qualitative methodology, this study explores entry into selective secondary schools, subjects chosen at 13+, examination performance, and higher education entry. The views and perceptions of teachers are also given special treatment. Rich in interview quotations, this challenging and hard-hitting book critically informs the reader how, and in what ways, different South Asians achieve in education