“No-one likes what I say”: A Foucauldian discourse analysis of problematic absenteeism from school

Jones, Catherine Angharad 2019. “No-one likes what I say”: A Foucauldian discourse analysis of problematic absenteeism from school. DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the discourse around problematic school non-attendance and the implications that it holds for facilitating change. It is currently estimated that around 1-2% of school-registered children and young people display problematic school non-attendance (Elliott & Place, 2019). High levels of absence from school is associated with several negative outcomes, including mental health difficulties, substance misuse, and social and economic deprivation (Kearney, 2008). Welsh statistics from the 2017 / 18 academic year report that 4.1% of adolescents in middle and secondary schools had attendance levels of 80% or below and are considered to be persistent absentees (Welsh Government, 2019). A review of the literature suggests that inconsistencies in the conceptualisation and language around school absence may be inhibiting effective intervention by professionals (Kearney & Albano, 2004). This study uses Foucauldian discourse analysis methodology to explore the discourse around non-attendance. In particular, the focus is upon the actions that are available within the discourse for facilitating change. Five persistent absentees aged 11-16 and three school staff members were interviewed for this study. Seven dominant discursive constructions of the school and non-attenders are identified in the results. These are: school as a place of control, school as a site of public identity, school as judgemental, school as a place that should care and support, non-attenders as ‘becoming’ and non-attenders as psychologically problematic. The implications of these for Educational Psychology practice are discussed.

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	7 January 2020
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2020 01:47
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/128232

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