“They just don’t seem to really care, they just think it’s cool to sit there and talk”: laddism in university teaching-learning contexts

Abstract

Over the last 2–3 years there has been a sharp increase in the UK in the number of concerns voiced about “laddism”, “laddish” or “lad” cultures in higher education (HE). Drawing on a project that explored laddism on a sports science degree in one university, this article explores constructions and understandings of laddism in HE, particularly in teaching-learning contexts. Undergraduates suggested that laddish behaviours in teaching-learning contexts included: talking and generally being loud; being a joker; throwing stuff; arriving late; and being rude and disrespectful to lecturers. Mature students (men and women) and women were particularly critical of these behaviours, and resented the ways they negatively impacted on their learning. The impacts of laddism on the lads themselves and on others are explored, as are the ways in which laddism is challenged.

Keywords:

• laddism
• lad culture
• gender
• masculinity
• sports science

Funding

This work was supported by The Society for Educational Studies, UK.

Notes

1. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) defines as “mature” a student who starts university aged 21 years or over.

2. In September 2012 universities in England raised their tuition fees to up to £9000 per year; the previous cap (2011/2012) was £3375 per year.

3. Y1a are the Year 1 students interviewed in spring 2013 who were part of the new fee regime. Y1 (year 1) students are those interviewed in spring 2012.

4. When presenting versions of this paper at conferences we have been asked whether we interviewed these disruptive, “badly” behaved students. Some of our interviewees did identify themselves as laddish, and did suggest that they messed around in lectures. However, these students also suggested that their own forms of laddism and messing around were neither particularly disruptive nor extreme. We cannot tell whether these students’ perceptions of their behaviours were shared by their classmates, or to what extent their narratives were influenced by a desire to create a positive impression of themselves in the interview (or at least to avoid presenting themselves as “bad”).

5. Interestingly, even in schools – where the uncool-to-work discourse was dominant – intelligence and success were still valued (it was overt hard work that was typically cast as uncool): those lads who were academically successful (apparently effortlessly), good looking, sporty, witty and popular were seen to “have it all”. Thus, even by schoolboy criteria many of the lads on this programme would fall short.

6. We did not ask questions directly about fees; however, around one-third of the interviewees mentioned them.

7. To date, research has not explored laddism in HE teaching-learning contexts where students are predominantly middle-class.

8. A BTEC is a work-related qualification; BTECs are “built to accommodate the needs of employers and allow progression to university”. http://www.edexcel.com/btec/New-to-btec/BTEC-Explained/Pages/default.aspx (accessed 16 August 2013).