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An important signifier of masculinity in a bilingual context

Bibliographic Data

ID12230947
AuthorsJohn R Portelli (University of Malta, corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume18
Issue4
Pages413-430
Publication date2006-07-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueGender and Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-0253 • E-ISSN: 1360-0516
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540250600805104
OpenAlexW1972780696
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited15

This paper is based upon a case study in an all boys’ church comprehensive secondary school in Malta which explored teachers’ awareness of boys’ attitudes and interests. It uncovered a number of practices across the school’s official and ‘hidden’ curricula and at its administrative level, which, together with the student peer culture present on site, influence the construction of student masculine identities. This article argues that the decision by boys to speak one language rather than another in a bilingual context, is very much influenced by norms of masculinity. These are strengthened by the student peer group as well as by the male teachers within the institution and suggests that language is an important signifier of masculinity in a bilingual school, a masculinity which, in a post‐colonial context, is shown to be heavily linked to national pride and identity

Aesthetics · Art · Context (archaeology · Curriculum · Identity (music · Institution · Masculinity · Pedagogy · Political science · Pride · Social science · Socialization · Sociology · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender Studies · Gender Studies in Language · Global Education and Multiculturalism · History · Law · Psychology

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