Tehmina N. Basit

Manual or Electronic? The Role of Coding in Qualitative Data Analysis

Data analysis is the most difficult and most crucial aspect of qualitative research. Coding is one of the significant steps taken during analysis to organize and make sense of textual data. This paper examines the use of manual and electronic methods to code data in two rather different projects in which the data were collected mainly by in-depth interviewing. The author looks at both the methods in the light of her own experience and concludes that the choice will be dependent on the size of the project, the funds and time available, and the inclination and expertise of the researcher.

'I Want More Freedom, but Not Too Much': British Muslim girls and the dynamism of family values

ABSTRACT This article elucidates the dynamics of Muslim family life and the role of family values in shaping the present experiences and future aspirations of adolescent British Muslim girls. A group of Muslim girls in three schools, their parents and some of their teachers were interviewed. The research shows the dynamism of family values and the way British Muslims are socialising their daughters to construct a British Muslim identity by adopting and rejecting aspects of their Asian and British ethnicities and through a combination of freedom and control. It also argues that British Muslim young women are getting ambiguous messages about freedom and they feel ambivalent about various features of their Asian and British ethnicities. Furthermore, the research notes the stereotypical notions held by some of the teachers, which are apparently based on assumptions regarding the lives of British Muslim girls.

Eastern values, western milieu : identities and aspirations of adolescent British Muslim girls

Contents: Introduction The shaping of identity The dynamism of family values The institution of marriage The social dimension of schooling The academic dimension of schooling Aspiring to a career Conclusions.

Equal opportunities or affirmative action? The induction of minority ethnic teachers

Currently in the UK there is much pressure to increase the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers, not only to respond to the continuing shortage, but to develop a teaching force that reflects the diversity in the UK population and provides role models for ethnic minority students. There is, however, little research on how ethnic minority teachers cope with the demands of the profession, especially in their first year. The introduction by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) of an induction period for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) in 1999 was an attempt to create a programme of individual support and monitoring to provide NQTs with a bridge from Initial Teacher Training (ITT) to becoming established in their chosen profession. We believe it is now timely and important to examine how ethnic minority beginning teachers experience these new arrangements. In this paper we, therefore, explore the induction experiences of British teachers of Asian and African Caribbean origin in three Local Education Authorities (LEAs) in the North West of England. We conclude that the NQTs are being provided with equal opportunities by their employers and that affirmative action may have been undertaken by a few of these employers during the recruitment and selection process, although some anecdotal evidence is also presented of discrimination. Further, the paper suggests that the majority of the NQTs find their schools and LEAs supportive and the induction process valuable, although it highlights the need for additional support in some individual cases.

White British; dual heritage; British Muslim: Young Britons' conceptualisation of identity and citizenship

This paper examines young British peoples conceptualisation of identity and citizenship. Data were gathered through a questionnaire survey from 442 young male and female citizens of majority and minority ethnic origins, aged 14–24 years and at different stages of education, employment and non‐employment. This was followed up by in‐depth interviews with a stratified sample of 40 participants. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, and by closely examining the two key concepts of identity and citizenship, the paper analyses the ways in which young Britons perceive their multiple identities and citizenship status. The research shows that education and career are the major priorities of these young people. They have clear notions of identity and citizenship and most are comfortable with their own identities and feelings of citizenship. However, some of those who are from a minority ethnic background have doubts about being viewed as British citizens because of racial harassment or stereotyping, partic...

‘My parents have stressed that since I was a kid’: Young minority ethnic British citizens and the phenomenon of aspirational capital:

This article investigates retrospectively and prospectively the educational and career aspirations and experiences of young minority ethnic British citizens. It focuses on one aspect of a larger mixed methods study, that is, qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with a stratified sample of 20 young men and women of minority ethnic origins aged 14–24, and at different stages of education, employment and non-employment. It argues that social and cultural capitals play a significant role in enabling young minority ethnic citizens to succeed in education and careers and become valuable members of society. Furthermore, it introduces the notion of ‘aspirational capital’ as a crucial extension of, or substitute for, cultural and social capitals, depending on the familial background of the young people, and contends that it is a strong motivating force in improving the life chances of young minority ethnic British citizens.

Playing the role of 'cultural expert': teachers of ethnic difference in Britain and Australia

This article brings together the findings of two separate studies in Britain and Australia that sought to examine the experiences of teachers of ethnic difference. Drawing on qualitative data, we examine how early‐career and mid‐career minority ethnic teachers in Britain and Australia, respectively, understand and take up the role of ‘cultural expert’, a position generated through expectations that they will be mentors and role models for ethnic minority students as well as curriculum and pedagogy leaders within schools. The newly qualified British teachers were generally positive about their positioning as cultural experts because the recognition of their knowledge about minority ethnic cultures, traditions and languages enabled them to develop self‐esteem and, in turn, led them towards self‐actualisation. The experienced Australian teachers, however, perceived their role as ‘cultural expert’ as problematic because the demands and associated increase in workload led to disenchantment and burn‐out and reduced opportunities for their career development on a broader level. We conclude by raising issues around teacher education and the recruitment of minority ethnic teachers.

Educational capital as a catalyst for upward social mobility amongst British Asians: a three-generational analysis

This paper is based on research that examined intergenerational dynamics amongst British South Asians regarding education and family life. The study investigated the perspectives of grandparents, parents and young people to establish how family attributes and education were perceived by these three groups. The methods used to gather data were focus groups and individual interviews. These were complemented by digital ethnography, which involved using photographs taken by the young people for reflection during interviews. Drawing on Bourdieu, Putnam and Coleman’s theses of cultural and social capitals, the paper forwards the concept of educational capital, as the findings suggest a high emphasis on the acquisition of educational capital for upward social mobility amongst all groups.

Ethics, reflexivity and access in educational research: issues in intergenerational investigation

Educational researchers, like other academic investigators, are expected to carry out research in an ethical manner. This paper draws on the author’s experience of conducting a research study related to social justice, which examines intergenerational dynamics and education amongst British Asian families. It discusses the importance of ethical considerations, and the need for reflexivity, throughout the research project. It highlights the problems of access and the ways in which they are overcome. Significantly the paper notes how researchers, who are ostensibly knowledgeable about the ways of life of the research participants, can still go into the research field with preconceived notions about these groups or individuals. Further, it shows how these researchers can be proved wrong, and can hone their research skills by learning from these experiences.

‘…But that’s just the stereotype’: gender and ethnicity in transition to adulthood

This article examines the role of gender and ethnicity in young minority ethnic British citizens’ transition to adulthood. As part of a larger study using a mixed methods approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 young men and women aged 14–24 at different stages of education, employment and non-employment. By employing Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, the article shows how young people’s transition to adulthood is affected by gender and ethnic considerations. It is argued that for some, the interplay of gender and ethnicity with religion is a crucial aspect of their transition which causes them to make choices to live their lives in a certain way, whereas for others it is more subtle and nuanced. Further, researchers and policymakers need to be cognisant of the similarities and differences of gendered experiences within various minority ethnic groups and the similarities between these groups and the majority ethnic group.