Family contexts, norms and young people's orientations: researching diversity

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of young people's orientations, and expectations for the future, as they relate to family context and socio-economic background. It draws on data from both the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England and from ‘Young Lives and Times’, part of the ESRC National Centre for Research Methods. The latter study has generated both quantitative and qualitative data, and these are brought together directly in developing the arguments in the paper. The paper explores young people's perceptions of family life, and offers new evidence and analysis of the value they place on emotional support. Attitudinal data show that such support is seen as very important to future success alongside more individualistic, meritocratic, criteria. The paper then explores family contexts and youngsters’ orientations to schoolwork, and their expectations for their future education. In respect of the latter, socio-economic background becomes key as a predictor of difference. Through strategically linking qualitative and quantitative data, the paper develops an analysis of individuals’ orientations and expectations as these relate to proximate circumstances. Linking quantitative and qualitative evidence in this way helps provide insights into diverse subjectivities, and how they articulate with diverse, class-varying, normal expectations.