Why Study Friendships and Diversity? Orientations and Introduction to the Study

Abstract

This chapter introduces the research. First we consider the concept of friendship and the rationale for the development of a sociology of friendship, noting how friendships are not only the result of individual choices, but are also socially and ethnically patterned. We also discuss the importance of friendship in relation to policy around social cohesion. We then begin to outline the conceptual resources from which we draw before then describing the broad contours of the research project and design. We discuss the reasons for choosing primary schools as a research site, emphasising their potential to act as a shared, situated and embedded social resource generative of affective social interaction. Finally, we outline the structure of the book.