‘Sticky’ proximities: Sibling relationships and education

Abstract

Drawing upon qualitative interviews and focus groups with young people, this article expounds the importance of sibling relationships in shaping their experiences of and orientations towards education. The article contributes to the literature about the socially embedded nature of young people’s educational journeys, arguing for the need to account for the significance of siblings. Following Smart’s notion of ‘sticky’ relationships, the article demonstrates how sibling relationships can be characterised by particular proximities: connections that make siblings important for young people’s educational experiences regardless of whether the relationships are perceived as positive. The article demonstrates three ways that sibling relationships are particularly proximate. First, normative scripts and obligations pertaining to gendered and birth-order specific sibling roles influence when and how siblings offer support to one another at school. Second, resemblances between siblings facilitate the ‘rubbing off’ of reputation between siblings at school. Finally, the ability to observe a sibling’s progression through the education system means siblings can become foils against which young people measure and assess their own educational experiences. In highlighting these ‘sticky’ proximities, the article builds and extends a sociology of siblingship, demonstrating how sibling relationships affect young people’s education.