Transgressing Classed Boundaries of Gender Norms in Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study of Undergraduate Students' Experiences

This study investigates how undergraduate students navigate and challenge gender norms in their higher education trajectories, focusing on their evolving practices that transgress classed boundaries of gender norms and their resulting affective practices. Utilizing intersectionality and the Bourdieuian lens, this study examines the interplay between class, gender, symbolic violence, and the affective aspects of habitus in the higher education field. While upward mobility through higher education is often perceived as advantageous, it is essential to investigate how challenges in embracing more fluid and open-minded gender norms unequally impact students’ affective practices based on their social characteristics.

The present study draws on interview data from an ongoing longitudinal project examining undergraduate students' transitions and experiences in higher education at a regional German university. The analysis includes 66 semi-structured interviews with 41 students enrolled between 2021 and 2023, spanning completed first and ongoing second rounds. The diverse sample, including 12 male, 16 migrant, and 27 first-generation students, enables an intersectional analysis of how students negotiate inconsistent gender norms between their original social milieu and the field of higher education.

Preliminary findings reveal a complex interplay between habitus, disciplinary culture, and students' affective experiences as they negotiate traditional gender norms, varying significantly across different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The study demonstrates how higher education can serve as a site for both reproducing and transforming traditional gender norms, particularly for first-generation and migrant students. This research contributes to understanding of how upward mobility through higher education impacts students' engagement with evolving gender norms and their relationships with friends and family.