Counterhegemonic gender choices: trajectories and school experiences in vocational education and training in Barcelona
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30972/riie.17259556Keywords:
educational transition, social inequality, gendered educational segregation, educational choicesAbstract
This article examines how gender influences the educational choices of young people enrolled in Vocational Education and Training (VET), focusing on trajectories that deviate from dominant norms. Based on a qualitative study conducted in VET programs in Barcelona (Spain), it explores the experiences of 17 students (10 males, 7 females) in gender‑atypical domains. Interviews reveal significant gendered differences in school dispositions, motivations, and educational experiences, all shaped by social background and prior schooling trajectories. The findings show that though counter‑hegemonic choices do not always disrupt gendered structures, they reveal underlying tensions and contradictions in how these structures operate. The paper contributes to understanding how gender norms interact with other social and institutional conditions during the post-compulsory educational transition, offering a richly situated qualitative insight into under‑researched educational pathways.
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