Christelle BETOULIERES

An Ethnographic Analysis of the Impact of the Meritocratic Narrative in Senior Year Classrooms: An Individual and Collective Test

Abstract

For two centuries, the French educational system has been shaped by a meritocratic narrative, established as a dogma; it thus tends to mold the beliefs and social representations of those involved in the educational system around an ideal type of meritocratic student, through which school practices (assessment, career guidance) are developed. While constructivist and critical sociological approaches demonstrate at the macrosocial level how this meritocratic narrative shapes the school institution and, with it, its stakeholders, an ethnographic analysis of this meritocratic narrative within everyday school practices (academic assessment, career guidance) could provide a complementary perspective. Indeed, drawing on the tools and theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism, the aim of this research is to place social interaction at the heart of the system—that is, the logical building block of social activity: How do participants experience this meritocratic narrative in their daily lives? What interactions are constructed around this meritocratic narrative? Through a study based on interviews, participant observation, and a survey of high school stakeholders (students, teachers, and parents), an ethnographic analysis can help identify similarities and differences in the construction of these social representations surrounding this narrative. The aim of this ethnographic study is to understand how social actors perceive the world around them—and, more specifically, the impact of the meritocratic narrative on their daily understanding of educational pathways and practices—as well as how the meritocratic narrative challenges both the individual and the community.

Thesis Advisor: Geneviève ZOIA