Critical realism, agency and sickle cell: case studies of young people with sickle cell disorder at school

Abstract

Critical realism suggests that historical structures may operate as underlying generative mechanisms but not always be activated. This explains the near-absence of references to racism by black students with sickle cell disorder (SCD). Through case studies we show how latent mechanisms are not activated, and how social actors come to develop corporate agency. Themes discussed include: wider/historical racisms (carers' own experiences of overt racism at school); conscious actions (moving away from a school where racism was experienced); awareness of anticipatory retaliation (multiculturalism as a form of societal inoculation against accusations of racism); naming racism as an emergent strategy (when communal discussions enable multiple negative experiences to be framed and named as racism); and ‘passing’ (not ostensibly experiencing racism if one is sufficiently light-skinned). Critical realism suggests how racism may be structuring the experiences of students with SCD at school even in the absence of specific accounts by young people.

Keywords:

• sickle cell
• racism
• agency
• critical realism
• case study
• schools

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (Grant RES-000-23-1486). We thank the young people and their families; Hala Evans and Eileen Buchanan for help in collecting data; Bob Carter and two anonymous referees for constructive comments; and the Sickle Cell and Education Group for help with the initial survey.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Simon Dyson

SIMON DYSON is Professor of Applied Sociology at De Montfort University.

Karl Atkin

KARL ATKIN is Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at University of York.

Lorraine Culley

LORRAINE CULLEY is Professor of Social Sciences in Health at De Montfort University.

Sue Dyson

SUE DYSON is Professor of Nursing at Middlesex University.