Who can become a physicist? Discourse, culture and identity in physics education

Using an interdisciplinary approach to bring a gender perspective into physics education research, this project takes issues of recruitment and retention as its starting point. Who is attracted to physics and who stays at the education long enough to become a “physicist” is not only a question of individual abilities or choices, but is also influenced by the disciplinary culture of physics and specific discourses at institutions and educational programmes.

Using discourse, identity and related theoretical perspectives, and qualitative inquiry methods such as participant observation and group interviews, the project explores questions such as: How is the culture of physics experienced and constructed by students? In what ways do students’ experiences of their study climate influence their learning and participation? What norms regarding social identity are experienced and enacted by students and how are these specific norms related to broader societal norms regarding gender, cultural background, etc.?

Contact: Anders Johansson