The Engagement Disconnect: The Experiences of Immigrant-Origin Males in a Swedish Upper Secondary School

• In Event: Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: Division G Section 2 Poster Session

Abstract

Over the past 15 years the performance gap in Sweden between immigrant origin children and ethnic Swedish students has been widening. Among immigrant-origin youth, males underperform compared to females. This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods phenomenological examination of school context, academic engagement, and performance for students attending a segregated upper-secondary school in Sweden. Survey findings indicate that being female and being cognitively engaged were significant predictors of grades; however, cognitive engagement was not moderated by gender. Findings from interviews suggest that immigrant-origin males interact and identify with Sweden and Swedish culture in ways that may influence their experience and perform at school, revealing a deepened sense of stigmatization by Swedish adults both within and outside of school.

Author

• Margary Martin, Brown University