The resources and strategies that 10-11 year old boys use to construct masculinities in the school setting

symbol, and it was the ability to be able to claim the relationship that was the main
objective.

Conclusions

In this paper I have argued that the construction and performance of masculinity is
inextricably linked to the acquisition of status within the school peer group, and I have
delineated the specific series of resources and strategies that the boys draw on and use in
each setting to achieve this. The resources that the boys employed were many and
varied, and the values accorded to these resources vary in each setting. The boys defined
themselves through bodily practices. They could be seen being shaped (literally) by
manifestations of their physical prowess, and this paper finds that the single most
honoured and extensively used resource, connected with the hegemonic form of
masculinity, was physicality and athleticism as expressed by the body. However, it was
articulated in slightly different ways within each school context: for example, at
Highwoods it was more sporty, at Westmoor Abbey more macho and violent, and at
Petersfield it manifested itself through speed and strength. The paper has also considered
a variety of other embodied resources and strategies such as acting tough/hard; using
humour and wit (including cussing); the wearing of fashionable clothes/trainers; the
possession of culturally-valued knowledge; and the ‘possession’ of a girlfriend. Table 2
below summarises the options available, and shows how the resources were distributed
across the three schools:

TABLE 2 GOES ABOUT HERE

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