Economic Capital and the Educational Ascent of 10 Mexican American Students

• In Event: 207 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 09. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Educational Attainment

Abstract

With the study rise of the Hispanic population in the United States over the last 25-years there has been a languished progression of this populations’ educational attainment. The purpose of this current qualitative study was to tap into the “black-box” of ten academically successful Latino students from San Antonio by capturing the life history of their educational experience, and, the recollections of the factors that hindered or facilitated their attainment of a doctoral degree. In seeking an understanding of this phenomenon, this research utilized a phenomenological interviewing technique and a Multi-capitals theoretical framework underpinned in Bourdieu’s Cultural Reproduction Theory. The Findings reported in this article indicate that Lower SES Latino students from San Antonio were able to capitalize on various forms of economic capital to include: Institutional Support, Community College, Spousal and Family Support, Employment, Loans, Age and Time as a Factor of Economic Capital.

Author

• Victor Castillo, University of Texas-San Antonio