Aspirations, Education and Social Justice : Applying Sen and Bourdieu by Caroline Sarojini Hart

Caroline Sarojini Hart presents a radical new paradigm for thinking about the role of education in the development of human flourishing. “Aspirations, Education and Social Justice” applies Amartya Sen’s capability approach to understanding the nature of aspirations, in the light of a critical analysis of policies to widen participation in education. Sen’s work is synthesised with key concepts from Pierre Bourdieu to develop an analytical framework for understanding the processes influencing the development and realization of aspirations.Drawing on empirical studies, involving over 1,000 young people, aged 14-19, this text explores the hopes and dreams of these young people for the future. The young people’s voices challenge dominant discourses of aspiration, well-being and advantage, and invite readers to rethink their own positions on these issues.