Introduction

Widening participation in Higher Education (HE) is a key political concern within the UK. Whilst evidence continues to highlight disparity in participation rates across social groups (see for example, HESA data[1]), there continues to be a small number of young people from social groups 4 – 7 (includes non-professional occupations) who do choose to go to university. A body of literature identifies issues connected to social and academic fit for such students (see Rose 1989; Walkerdine, Lucey et al. 2001) and in particular their ‘fit’ within institutions perceived as being elite. This paper seeks to explore issues connected with fit within an alternative context. Drawing from data collected within a post-1992 HE institution, and utilising a Bourdieuian analysis around the notion of habitus (Bourdieu, 1997), complexities around the issue of fit will be used to uncover the idea of habitus transformation for first generation students.

Body of Knowledge

The recent growth in UK higher education student numbers brings a theoretically diverse student population, within which social position appears to play a determining factor in the type of higher education an individual student, would experience (Archer, Hutchings 2000). In addition, ‘there are large socio-economic and ethnic gaps in the likelihood of attending an HE institution with high status (as measured by research intensiveness)’ (Chowdry et al., 2008: iii). The Higher Education Statistics Agency data also indicates that institutions perceived as being elite attract the majority of their students from the higher social groups.

Theoretically, data would indicate that there is less social difference, or the occupation of different social spaces amongst the student body at a post-1992 institution when compared with traditional universities as more students from social groups 4-7 attend such institutions. Whilst a number of possible explanations for this social group spread centre on academic and social fit (Rose 1989, Parr 1997, Skeggs 1997, Reay 2001), there is little research that focuses on the influence that institutions have on the identity formation of widening participation students in post-1992 institutions. In particular, there is currently insufficient information about the ways in which such young people, learn the necessary rules to enable them to adjust to the ‘immanent demands of the game’ (Bourdieu 1990: 11) within post-1992 institutions.

This research seeks to fill this apparent gap by focusing on identity formation. Taking a Bourdieuian perspective it explores the result of a habitus that theoretically ‘enters a field with which it is not familiar’ (Reay et al., 2005). With that in mind the following research questions will be addressed:

-         is there a ‘widening participation’ student identity?

-         what role do post-1992 HE institutions play in influencing identity transformation of widening participation students?

-         how does an evolving identity impact on the sense of belonging both within the institution and within social groups?

This paper, although drawing from data collected in the UK, has much to say around the attraction and retention of widening participation students within HE and therefore would appeal to an international audience.

[1] See http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/category/2/32/141/ for details of participation rates

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