Social and ethnic group membership among students in a Czech lower secondary school

Abstract

This article examines social and ethnic group membership among sixth-grade students at a Czech lower secondary school whose student population is predominantly heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity. The main focus is on group membership in the sixth grade, which is considered as the worst class at school and which is attended by several Roma boys and girls. Special attention is paid to the boundary constructions in the groups of children from an anthropological perspective and interactionism. The article is based on qualitative, and ethnographic fieldwork. The central method of the fieldwork was observation. This method was partially supplemented by materials from the school evaluations and interviews with teachers and other respondents during the field research. Research findings derive from fieldwork conducted at the school that is perceived as problematic by local residents. The school is located near a socially excluded locality in the Czech Republic where a large number of the buildings are in deplorable condition, with many apartments unoccupied. Many city residents consider the locality to be a “Roma ghetto”. The article contributes to understanding the grouping and social and interethnic communication among twelve-year-old students. The article sheds light on the benefits of being in a group and how students and groups communicate with each other.