"Our World? Our World!" : social Identities in an English boarding school

Abstract

Summary This thesis discusses formation of identities among the pupils of Dalesview House, a boarding school in a rural setting in England. My main focus lies on interaction among the boarders of this school. I explore boarders understanding of “home” by listening to their stories. I turn my attention towards processes of emplacement as I focus on members off staff’s efforts to make the boarders “feel at home”. Relations between the pupils of Dalesview House and members of staff are another topic in this thesis. I explore this in relation to a “problem” of managing “closeness” and “distance” related to a fear of paedophilia as perceived by members of staff. Socialisation of gender roles is another focus within the thesis. I explore informal feedback children receive in their daily lives, on sport arenas and in the classroom. A focus lies on behavioural boundaries between girls and boys and reactions received by children who challenge these boundaries. Another focus lies on social organisation among the children. I explore how groups are more or less stable as they are turned towards different forms of values. I explore fluctuations of members between groups of children and reciprocity based relationships between children associated with different groups.