Discursive Constructions of Boys in the Field of School Social Work in German Elementary Schools

Abstract

Abstract This article analyzes the discursive constructions of boys and strategies for working with them in the field of school social work. Building upon a subjectivation theoretical framework, these discourses are reconstructed based on interviews with social workers at German elementary schools by the SKAD (sociology of knowledge approach to discourse) research program. Three subject positionings were identified: Boys were positioned as (1) caught up in aggression; (2) naturally deviating from school rules; or (3) sitting on the sidelines. Overall, it was observed that school social work primarily focused on norm deviations and transgressions, while a general orientation towards masculinity norms was rarely challenged. This analysis offers insights into the inherent ambivalence of subject discourses on boys in the field of school social work.