Reproduction: the role of cultural factors and educational mediators

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Abstract
To understand the processes of reproduction in education one must not only take account of the resistances of subordinated groups, but also of the counter‐resistance which develops in response to these. Proponents of resistance theory have tended to ignore the responses of powerful groups to emerging resistances. Two major reasons are suggested for this, one being the failure of reproduction theorists to take cognisance of unique cultural and political contexts within which reproduction takes place, and the other being the lack of attention given to educational mediators. Taking the case of Irish second‐level education, it is shown how unique cultural, historical and political forces contribute to the development of counter‐resistance. In particular, it is suggested that the post‐colonial status of the country is central to understanding the reproduction processes within it. The paper also highlights the inadequacy of defining the parameters of the reproduction debate in terms of an interplay of interests between social classes and the State alone. While the State and social classes are key actors in the educational site, so are educational mediators, viz. those who manage and administer educational services on a day‐to‐day basis. It is proposed that educational mediators (whose character varies from one society to another) are often powerful agents of counter‐resistance.
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