Racism and young girls' peer-group relations: The experiences of South Asian girls

This article draws upon data from an in-depth ethnographic study of 5 and 6 year old children in an English multi-ethnic, inner-city primary school. I t focuses on the significance of 'race' within young girls' peer-group rela tions and the ways in which the social dynamics that underlie those relatio ns provide the context for understanding the particular nature and form tha t racism takes among the girls. This is done through a focus on the experie nces of South Asian girls within the group. Within this, the article has tw o main aims. First, it aims to contribute to the literature within the soci ology of education by extending the existing research focus on racism withi n teacher/pupil interactions to include an understanding of racism as it ma nifests itself among the children's peer-group relations. Second, in adapti ng and applying Pierre Boudieu's concepts of capital and field, the article also offers a contribution to the literature within the sociology of 'race ' and ethnicity by suggesting one potentially fruitful way in which racism can be understood within specific social contexts.