Told to make a choice. From humiliation to a sense of injustice

Abstract

In France, every year, almost 40% of pupils are advised to take vocational education. These young people, between adolescence and adulthood, are told to « choose » a route and to opt for a low-skilled profession (limited to manual tasks). To shed light on what lies behind the scenes between school and the beginning of vocational education, we aim to uncover the way educational and productive spheres support and reinforce inequality and to show how children experience humiliation and voice their sense of injustice.