First-Generation Students in East and West Germany: Theoretical Concepts and Initial Results

Abstract

This article argues that the chances of successful educational upward mobility are more clearly assessed when educational decisions are interpreted not as isolated individual or family decisions, but in relation to their societal and political context. In order to do this, the authors propose a combination of Bourdieu's conception of habitus with the political process approach. In an ongoing biographical investigation concerned with first-generation students in East and West Germany, the author presents initial results which show the benefit of this theoretical concept.

Supporting Rita: A Social Cognitive Approach to (First-Generation) Students’ Retention

“…Throughout all three topics, FGS seem to have more difficulties than their peers: (a) In comparison, one of the main and most obvious differences between FGS and students with academic parents is that the latter possess higher knowledge on the structures and behaviors in a university environment than FGS do. They also have more informational support from their own families (Miethe & Soremski, 2014). (b) They face more hardships during the transition from school to university (Middendorff et al, 2012).…”