‘Between two lives': parenting and impacts on academic, professional achievements and socio-emotional outcomes for British-Ghanaians

Research undertaken within the Sociology of Education frequently highlights concerns about the underachievement of Black students in education and, later, within the labour market. Yet, there are a number of shortcomings associated with research in this area. Firstly, there is a tendency to homogenise the achievement levels of all Black students. Thus observations made about the outcomes of African-Caribbean students are often applied to all other Black groups. When distinctions between African and African Caribbean groups have been made, the achievement levels of students from different African backgrounds are often merged, creating a misleading impression of their different academic outcomes. Secondly, studies seeking to provide explanations for the low attainment levels of Black students are often critical of life within Black families, in particular their assumed use of an „authoritarian‟ parenting style, which is seen as creating psychological problems in children and as hindering their achievement. Effectively, such notions serve to pathologise Black families in Britain. This thesis presents a critique of existing studies concerning Black families in Britain and the academic achievement of Black (African) children, and also seeks to address existing gaps in the knowledge about Black Africans residing in Britain. Life history interviews were conducted with 25 British-Ghanaians who have achieved highly in their academic and professional pursuits. The findings suggest that not all parents adopted an „authoritarian‟ approach when raising their children, and that those who did were influenced by their own socialisation experiences in Ghana. While some respondents experienced some socio-emotional problems resulting from their „authoritarian‟ socialisation, these were generally resolved and did not have a long-term impact on their attainment. The thesis also suggests that the use of discipline, associated with this parenting style, may have had some beneficial effects in relation to respondents‟ academic and professional outcomes.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Greenwich

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Owusu-Kwarteng, Louise

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Ainley, Patrick
• Secomb, Linnell

• LC Special aspects of education

Language dc:language

en