Young People’s Views of and Responses to Socioeconomic Inequality: Self-Oriented Accommodation, Sceptical Resistance and Knowing Resignation

Abstract To date, sociological research has rarely foregrounded young people’s views of the causes of socioeconomic inequality, either for interpreting their understanding of the underlying processes involved or for exploring how these may influence the choices that help shape their own future socioeconomic outcomes. To address this gap, this paper uses questionnaire and interview data from 77 UK secondary school students concerning the relationships between their views of the causes of wealth and poverty and their occupational aspirations. In particular, the paper looks at how holding a ‘critical’ view of inequality—i.e. one which sees structural factors as its main cause—impacts their attitudes toward achieving their aspirations. While most participants gave more than one kind of cause for both wealth and poverty, a minority gave only structural factors as the main cause. Among the participants who held such a critical view, I identify three types of response to inequality concerning their aspirations: self-oriented accommodation (endorsing meritocratic beliefs regarding their own career success), sceptical resistance (seeking upward mobility while simultaneously doubting its likelihood) and knowing resignation (an acceptance of the prospect of failing to achieve one’s aspirations). I then discuss how the potential transitions between these response types, especially for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, may contribute to the reproduction of inequality despite such a critical awareness. I conclude by highlighting the benefits of foregrounding young people’s views of the causes of inequality for understanding the mechanisms that underlie their choices and the subsequent socioeconomic outcomes.