Ain't No Makin' It by Jay MacLeod
In Ain’t No Makin’ It, Jay MacLeod studies how two groups from the same low class projects, the Hallway Hangers and the Brothers, respond differently to the achievement ideology put forth by school systems. Although both groups live in the same housing development, they all have different school experiences, family situations, and personal lives that ultimately make up their individual habitus, causing different beliefs and attitudes amongst them. The Hallway Hangers have a negative view that rejects the achievement ideology and results in a lack of motivation for social mobility, whereas the Brothers hold a more optimistic view that leads them to believe the achievement ideology that as long as one tries hard they will succeed – an ideology schools reinforce and lead many to believe. Some factors contributing to the habitus of the Hallway Hangers is that they have less authoritative parents, less male figures in the house, less family members whom have graduated, more siblings in prison, less education in siblings, less employed fathers, and have lived in the projects longer. On the other hand, the Brothers have exactly the opposite in their family experiences. Race plays a role in their habitus as well. The Brothers’ parents grew up in a time of racial change that benefited blacks in society, leading the Brothers to feel that if their parents’ generations improved so much, theirs could too. This explains their optimism about social mobility, while affirmative action causes racism in the Hallway Hangers. The many different experiences that shape their habitus contribute to the formation of their beliefs about the achievement ideology. Furthermore, cultural capital, the cultural background, knowledge, and skills passed down generations, stems from one’s habitus. The role of culture capital in how schools reproduce the class structure is evident through the way schools value that of the higher class and devalue that of the lower class. They reward the higher