Comparing Case Studies of Working-Class, First-in-Family Males Accruing Social Capital in Elite Australian Universities

• In Event: Revealing Often Unseen Barriers to College

Abstract

First-in-family (FIF) males, often from low-socio-economic backgrounds, remain severely underrepresented in Australian higher education. Experiences with social life can be a significant determiner to their success at university as well as their prospects for future employment. This paper explores the experiences of two FIF males as they transition from secondary school to elite courses. The paper draws on various theories of social capital in an effort to provide nuance regarding how young people access, accrue, and mobilise social capital. The paper contributes to the scholarship on upwardly mobility and social capital through highlighting 1) the strategies adopted for social and academic success, 2) the ways in which social capital must be skillfully operationalised to one’s advantage.

Author

• Garth Stahl, The University of Queensland