Whose choice? Young people, career choices and reflexivity re-examined
Journal article
Laughland-Booÿ, Jacqueline, Mayall, Margery and Skrbiš, Zlatko. (2015). Whose choice? Young people, career choices and reflexivity re-examined. Current Sociology. 63(4), pp. 586-603. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392114540671
Authors | Laughland-Booÿ, Jacqueline, Mayall, Margery and Skrbiš, Zlatko |
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Abstract | Young people making future career choices are doing so in an environment that often highlights the benefits supposedly wrought by individualisation and reflexive choice. It is argued that those who demonstrate reflexivity in their decision-making would have an advantage in the negotiation of future risks. The authors of this article agree with theorists who note that career choices are still strongly influenced by a person’s location in the class structure. However, unlike some writers who suggest youth from more privileged socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to evaluate risk and demonstrate reflexivity, the authors suggest the opposite. Interviews were conducted with young people aged 16–17 who are participating in an ongoing project designed to follow a cohort of young Australians from adolescence into later life. Our findings suggest that while a more privileged location may afford young people security from many potential risks and problems, this may in fact encourage a non-reflexive perspective and they may choose careers based on social norms rather than ability. Instead, we argue that it is young people from less privileged backgrounds who tend to demonstrate reflexivity in their career planning. |
Keywords | career choices; class; reflexivity; risk; young people |
Year | 2015 |
Journal | Current Sociology |
Journal citation | 63 (4), pp. 586-603 |
Publisher | SAGE Publications |
ISSN | 0011-3921 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392114540671 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-84930589680 |
Open access | Published as green open access |
Research or scholarly | Research |
Page range | 586-603 |
Project | Our Lives Project |
Funder | Australian Research Council (ARC) |
Research Group | School of Arts |
Author's accepted manuscript | License File Access Level Open |
Publisher's version | License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 08 Jul 2014 |
ARC Funded Research | This output has been funded, wholly or partially, under the Australian Research Council Act 2001 |
Grant ID | ARC/DP0878781 |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/86628/whose-choice-young-people-career-choices-and-reflexivity-re-examined
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Author's accepted manuscript
AM_Laughland-Booÿ_2018_Whose_choice_Young_people_career_choices.pdf | |
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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