Edge Hill University

Beyond the Page: Literature as a Catalyst for Identity and Resistance

This study explores Black Caribbean male students’ engagement with GCSE literature in England. It closely examines literature as an academic subject as well as a tool for self-discovery, empowerment and resistance.

Historically labelled “educationally subnormal”, Black Caribbean boys have faced systemic barriers in education (Griffin, 2000), and their progression to higher education remains below the national average (DfE, 2023; OfS, 2023). Despite efforts to diversify the curriculum GCSE texts continue to reinforce colonial ideologies, depicting Blackness – particularly Black maleness, through violent or subhuman stereotypes (Eliott et al., 2021). This study challenges deficit narratives that frame Black Caribbean male students as disengaged underachievers (Joseph-Salisbury, 2020).

Guided by Critical Race Theory (Delgado and Stefancic, 2017), this research explores the intersections of race, gender and class, uncovering the relationship between educational structures and inequalities. The study centres on participatory narrative interviews, enhanced by multimodal activities (Woolhouse, 2017) conducted in a cultural heterotopic space (Foucault, 1986). Through the environment cultivated during data collection, literature emerges as both a site of oppression and a space for resistance.

Findings indicate that canonical texts prompt students to reflect on identity, duality and systemic injustice, resonating with Du Bois’ (1903) concept of double consciousness. These reflections empower students to challenge dominant narratives and reimagine themselves beyond imposed limitations.

This study therefore underscores the need for a more inclusive curriculum that validates lived experiences. Literature, when taught critically, becomes a mirror and lens — fostering belonging, agency and transformation for marginalised students.

References

  • Delgado, R. and Stefancic, J., 2017. Critical Race Theory: An Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: New York University Press.
  • Department for Education (DfE), 2023. Widening participation in higher education: 2021 to 2022. [online] London: Department for Education. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/widening-participation-in-higher-education-2021-to-2022 [Accessed 15 Apr. 2025].
  • Du Bois, W.E.B., 1903. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co.
  • Eliott, V., Simm, D., Tiplady, L. and Thomas, J., 2021. Disrupting the Canon: Curriculum, Representation and Identity in the Secondary English Classroom. London: UCL Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research.
  • Griffin, C., 2000. ‘The discursive construction of youth identities: New directions for youth research’. In: C. Griffin and A. Phoenix, eds. Standpoints and Differences: Essays in the Practice of Feminist Psychology. London: SAGE, pp. 168–187.
  • Joseph-Salisbury, R., 2020. Race and Racism in English Secondary Schools. London: Runnymede Trust.
  • Office for Students (OfS), 2023. Access and participation data dashboard. [online] London: Office for Students. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk [Accessed 15 Apr. 2025].
  • Wallace, D., 2023. The Culture Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Woolhouse, C., 2017. ‘Multimodal life history narrative: Embodied identity, discursive transitions and uncomfortable silences’. Narrative Inquiry, 27(1), pp.109–131. https://doi.org/10.1075/ni.27.1.06woo