Paper short abstract:

This paper explores how the current wider educational context might contribute to the debate about the lack of diversity among anthropology students at university. This paper explores some of the obstacles to selecting Anthropology along with potential solutions to facilitate change.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores how the current wider educational context might contribute to the debate about the lack of diversity among anthropology students at university. With a lack of anthropology subject matter in schools, and with the final A level in anthropology being taught this year, increasing pressure is put on university Widening Participation teams to attract students to anthropology from a diverse range of backgrounds. How can we better understand the pressures and constraints experienced by young people as they decide to study anthropology, or indeed, attend university at all? Drawing on my extensive teaching experience in comparison with my Widening Participation activities and training as an MSc anthropology student, I will explore the kind of obstacles that young people face when selecting Anthropology, together with the potential solutions to facilitate change. In doing so, this paper highlights possible strategies and pedagogical approaches to provide anthropological experiences for young people, whilst also revealing the lived realities of young people themselves as they debate future aspirations.