Everyday Life at a Minority School: An Ethnographic Study

Description

This book explores the socio-cultural milieu of Anglo Arabic School and its schooling and non-schooling activities from the perspective of its actors. The schooling process and its meaning for those it caters to are delineated by studying the everyday happenings at the school and interaction among the actors of the school placing it in a larger sociological framework. 

The book has delved into numerous significant issues of microcosmic nature by employing ethnographic method which would not have been possible otherwise. This study has richly contributed to the existing dearth of literature on school in the Indian perspective. It has also attempted to unravel the complex relationships marked by malevolence and disharmony between all the players in the school comprising of teachers, students, parents and other significant stakeholders. 

This study has critically analyzed the academic ambience in the school and put forth its recommendation to promptly address the amenities of schools, especially those which are government aided and belonging to the minorities. It has also identified some of the compelling reasons for the educational backwardness of the Muslim community. While Muslims never tire of attributing blame for their backwardness on external factors there are many counts on which Muslims fail themselves as well. Corroborated by Paul Willis in his path breaking work ‘Learning to Labour’ has pointed out that how for ‘the lads’ it is their own culture that blocks teaching and prevents the realisation of liberal education aims. 

This book enlightens the context and the vehicle for deriving success and dooming failure narratives in pursuit of achieving collective educational goals, much to need of young aspirants enthusiastically engaged in school ethnography, as well as educators to devise and develop effective teaching learning process and sensitized people bringing reforms in school system. I also urge the torchbearers to make strong resolution and unrelenting determination to strive for better student centric educational system nationally and globally. 

Md. Aftab Alam is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Department of Social Work, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad (India). After completing his Master of Social Work from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (India), He qualified prestigious NCERT-Doctoral Fellowship and UGC-Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students for his doctoral research and obtained PhD degree from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. His expertise led him to involve in developing Innovative Academic Interventions (IAI) tools along with research pursuits in the field of social work practice at the Department of Social Work, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. Owing to his entire academic pursuits rooted in minority institutions, he has developed interest and inclination toward unveiling deeply ingrained nuances of such institutions. He is an avid reader and prolific writer on issues of children, school and social work in understanding the ‘life at school.’