Abstract
This chapter draws upon several concepts derived from, or inspired by, Norbert Elias to critically examine the processes in which young people use ‘banter’ in a physical education school context. Ethnographic data is presented and analysed using Elias’s concepts of the individual civilizing process, habitus, ‘I-We-They’ identities and figuration, alongside Wouter’s notion of a third-nature psyche. We discuss banter as a behavioural norm and theorise the ways in which young males utilise, interpret and respond to banter with psycho-social emotional processes. We argue that young males’ use of banter is evidence of relatively high levels of shared understanding and mutual respect, both of which required heightened levels of emotional self-restraint and the need to exercise greater degrees of foresight. The use of banter demonstrates features of young people’s individual civilising process. In doing so, the chapter demonstrates how a figurational sociological approach can be applied to analysing young people’s relationships, behaviours and identities in an educational setting.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | International Comparisons in Learning and Education |
Editors | Norman Gabriel |
Publisher | Springer |
Chapter | 6 |
Pages | 131 |
Number of pages | 154 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 978-3-031-60958-9 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-3-031-60957-2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 9 Sept 2024 |