Aspirations and politics of education

This paper explores the concept of ‘aspirations’ as a construct deeply embedded within the politics of education. It engages with the aspirations of young people situated in contexts of marginalization, specifically examining how aspirational discourses diverge across class boundaries. The study investigates the dialectical relationship between the aspirations of women students and the institutional frameworks of education, exploring how those at the social margins navigate these spaces. Furthermore, it analyzes the convergence of community expectations and institutional biases, which frequently compel marginalized students to perform a 'double labor' of academic achievement and cultural negotiation. Ultimately, this paper addresses how experiences and expectations within educational environments are positioned within intersectional dynamics that sustain social inequities. Keywords: Aspiration, Politics of Education, Intersectionality, Marginalization, Cultural Capital, Social Reproduction.