Smart Girls: Success, School, and the Myth of Post-Feminism

Smart Girls: Success, School, and the Myth of Post-Feminism
ISBN-10
0520284143
ISBN-13
9780520284142
Category
Social Science
Pages
288
Language
English
Published
2017-01-03
Publisher
Univ of California Press
Authors
Rebecca Raby, Shauna Pomerantz

Description

Are girls taking over the world? It would appear so, based on magazine covers, news headlines, and popular books touting girls’ academic success. Girls are said to outperform boys in high school exams, university entrance and graduation rates, and professional certification. As a result, many in Western society assume that girls no longer need support. But in spite of the messages of post-feminism and neoliberal individualism that tell girls they can have it all, the reality is far more complicated. Smart Girls investigates how academically successful girls deal with stress, the “supergirl” drive for perfection, race and class issues, and the sexism that is still present in schools. Describing girls’ varied everyday experiences, including negotiations of traditional gender norms, Shauna Pomerantz and Rebecca Raby show how teachers, administrators, parents, and media commentators can help smart girls thrive while working toward straight As and a bright future.

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