The ability to study as a social construct

Who is considered capable of studying today, and who determines this? How do structural-institutional conditions and social perceptions shape the opportunities to start and complete a degree programme at a university? And how have these dynamics evolved over time? In her historical comparative study, Magdalena Fellner examines the machinations that have influenced the meanings and attributions of the concept of ability to study from the beginnings of university history to the present day. If potential students do not meet the requirements set by the ruling elite of the time, this results in the exclusion of certain social groups, thereby maintaining a hierarchical class society. It becomes evident that the traditional concept of study ability contains inherent issues that reinforce social inequalities rather than mitigating them. Through theoretical and empirical analyses, the study illustrates the dynamics between normative expectations as well as collective and individual lifeworlds. Ultimately, based on these analyses, the study proposes a reconceptualization of the concept of the ability to study from a relational perspective.

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