The Interactive Effects of Race and Class in Educational Research: Theoretical Insights from the Work of Pierre Bourdieu.

How race and class affect the life chances of young people has been an issue of central importance to social scientists (Alexander, Pallas & Holupka, 1987; Baker & Velez, 1996; Hearn, 1984, 1991; Karen, 1991a, 1991b; Pascarella, Smart & Stoeker, 1989). Race and class have been shown to influence high school experiences (McQuillan, 1998; Oakes, 1985), and the access and transition to postsecondary education (Baker & Velez, 1996; Hossler, Schmidt & Vesper, 1999; Hurtado, Inkelas, Briggs & Rhee, 1997; McDonough, 1997). We know that patterns of access to higher education have remained relatively unchanged from the mid-1970s through to the mid-1990s (Karen & Hearn, 1998); women tend to go to college at a higher rate than men do. Access to higher education for Blacks and Latinos relative to whites has declined. We have witnessed continued inequality in access for those from different income groups; low-income students are far less likely to enter college directly from high school than their middle class or affluent peers (Baker & Velez, 1996). When one examines the effects of race, class, and gender independently, important patterns of inequality are found. The evidence is clear and compelling.