The Politics of Merit: Latino Boys and the Elusive Quest to Academic Success

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Educational Opportunity Gaps for Students of Diverse Backgrounds

Abstract

Since the 1970s, the US has increasingly turned to education to solve social issues. Academic and government initiatives around Latino boys follow similar logics. This qualitative study employs the lenses of Critical Social Theory and Critical Discourse Studies to examine the following questions: How do high-performing Latino boys reproduce and/or resist mainstream notions of merit? And, how might the experiences of high-performing Latino boys shed light on ways to reconceptualize academic success to serve a more transformative end? Although one might assume that academic success only benefits Latino boys, findings presented illustrate a more nuanced perspective. This paper offers important insights into ways to rethink academic success and educational institutions in the US.

Author

• Omar Davila, Santa Clara University