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Meritocracy Seen through the Eyes of Its Champions: A Comparative Study of Educational Elites

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Title: Meritocracy Seen through the Eyes of Its Champions: A Comparative Study of Educational Elites
Language: English
Authors: Fiona Gogescu (ORCID 0000-0002-9675-4178)
Source: British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2025 46(1):34-53.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Intelligence, Ability, Social Systems, Competitive Selection, Higher Education, Reputation, Academic Aptitude, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Academic Failure, Academic Achievement
Geographic Terms: Germany, Romania
DOI: 10.1080/01425692.2024.2418097
ISSN: 0142-5692
1465-3346
Abstract: This paper explores the way in which elite students from Germany and Romania understand the role of talent, effort, and structural factors in shaping educational success and failure. The image of a successful student aligns with the requirements of the selection processes, with Romanian students emphasising effort, and German students projecting an image of effortless achievement. Although most students acknowledged structural inequalities played into the selection processes, they did not seem to doubt the intelligence and skills of those who were selected to the most prestigious tracks and streams. By exploring the way in which students at prestigious universities talk about success and failure, this paper captures some ways in which they resist reproducing meritocratic discourses, and other ways in which they perpetuate the myth of meritocracy.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1453712
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Meritocracy Seen through the Eyes of Its Champions: A Comparative Study of Educational Elites
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fiona+Gogescu%22">Fiona Gogescu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9675-4178">0000-0002-9675-4178</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Journal+of+Sociology+of+Education%22"><i>British Journal of Sociology of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 46(1):34-53.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 20
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligence%22">Intelligence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ability%22">Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Systems%22">Social Systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Competitive+Selection%22">Competitive Selection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reputation%22">Reputation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Aptitude%22">Academic Aptitude</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Failure%22">Academic Failure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Romania%22">Romania</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/01425692.2024.2418097
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  Data: 0142-5692<br />1465-3346
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  Data: This paper explores the way in which elite students from Germany and Romania understand the role of talent, effort, and structural factors in shaping educational success and failure. The image of a successful student aligns with the requirements of the selection processes, with Romanian students emphasising effort, and German students projecting an image of effortless achievement. Although most students acknowledged structural inequalities played into the selection processes, they did not seem to doubt the intelligence and skills of those who were selected to the most prestigious tracks and streams. By exploring the way in which students at prestigious universities talk about success and failure, this paper captures some ways in which they resist reproducing meritocratic discourses, and other ways in which they perpetuate the myth of meritocracy.
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        Value: 10.1080/01425692.2024.2418097
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 34
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intelligence
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      – SubjectFull: Ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Systems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Competitive Selection
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      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reputation
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Aptitude
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      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Failure
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Germany
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      – SubjectFull: Romania
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