Ethnographic Study in Limited Opportunity

Jay MacLeod's book, Ain't No Makin' It, is an ethnographic study of the aspirations of two groups of teen-aged boys in Clarendon Heights, a housing project in a northeastern city. MacLeod asserts that in this country there is a dominant ideology that says that any individual can attain status. Barriers to success are mostly due to unwillingness to work and apply oneself in education (1). He undertook a lengthy study of the two groups of boys in order to determine whether or not there was variation in beliefs about aspiration to social mobility.

MacLeod reviews various researchers' opinions on reproduction theory and defines aspirations, "an individual's view of his or her own chances for getting ahead . . . an internalization of objective probabilities" (13). Of particular interest are the theories of Bourdieu and Bernstein. Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital holds that the different classes in the United States retain different cultural capital and that the schools more or less trade in the capital of the upper middle class. Students who already have a certain amount of approved knowledge and behaviors can trade that for superior academic performance which is then parlayed into success in the job market (12).

This cultural system places students from other classes at a tremendous disadvantage because what they value is not necessarily valued by the schools. The end result is limitation in economic opport

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fucking job" (28). Derek, of the Brothers, says, "I know I want a good job when I get out. I know that I have to work hard in school. I mean, I want a good future" (98). In my opinion, MacLeod's definition of the problem and his evidence supporting how children decide their level of aspiration is reasonable. He does use quite a lot of emotionally loaded language, but one can forgive him for this is the nature of conversation between boys of Clarendon Heights. Within the Hallway Hangers there is quite a lot of bantering to counteract boredom and determine position within the group. On one afternoon MacLeod noted Shorty speaking to Steve, "Hey Steve, what are you doing tonight?" Steve replies, "Nuttin'. Why?" Shorty answers, "You wanna suck my dick?" and Steve counters, "You're the only gay motherfucker around here," followed by mutual insults regarding girlfriends and mothers and alluded sexual relations with them (27). MacLeod's exact quotations of conversations of this sort are a bit startling. MacLeod does not propose a solution to the difficulties of low aspiration among lower class project youth. He alludes to the success and effectiveness of working with families and influencing the children when they are younge

Category: Government - E