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Boys, Academic Achievement and 'Crisis' Talk: Analysing Pseudo-Expert Discourses in the Construction of Boyhood

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Title: Boys, Academic Achievement and 'Crisis' Talk: Analysing Pseudo-Expert Discourses in the Construction of Boyhood
Language: English
Authors: Lisa Holohan (ORCID 0000-0001-7245-0041), Garth Stahl (ORCID 0000-0002-1800-8495)
Source: Gender and Education. 2026 38(1):73-90.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Males, Academic Achievement, Gender Issues, Underachievement, Sex Stereotypes, Student Experience, Gender Bias, Attitudes, Foreign Countries, Standardized Tests, Achievement Gap, Masculinity, Physical Activities, Emotional Response, Student Behavior
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1080/09540253.2025.2568409
ISSN: 0954-0253
1360-0516
Abstract: Education in the twenty-first Century has been framed by a persistent crisis narrative concerning male underachievement. In response, educators have trialled various solutions-oriented approaches often leaning on a privatized industry of pseudo-experts who offer broad solutions to improve boys' academic performance and well-being. Despite their prevalence, little thorough investigation has been conducted into the practices and messages promoted by these consultants. This paper presents a singular case study of the persuasive techniques used by one self-described male expert in boyhood and academic achievement. Using Thematic Analysis (TA) and Feminist Post-Structural Discourse Analysis (FPDA), we identify dominant, competing, and oppositional discourses he posits, illustrating how gender norms are constructed and reinforced within educational spaces, shaping boys' lived experiences and delimiting the possibilities for their identities and opportunities.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503524
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Boys, Academic Achievement and 'Crisis' Talk: Analysing Pseudo-Expert Discourses in the Construction of Boyhood
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lisa+Holohan%22">Lisa Holohan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7245-0041">0000-0001-7245-0041</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garth+Stahl%22">Garth Stahl</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1800-8495">0000-0002-1800-8495</externalLink>)
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Education in the twenty-first Century has been framed by a persistent crisis narrative concerning male underachievement. In response, educators have trialled various solutions-oriented approaches often leaning on a privatized industry of pseudo-experts who offer broad solutions to improve boys' academic performance and well-being. Despite their prevalence, little thorough investigation has been conducted into the practices and messages promoted by these consultants. This paper presents a singular case study of the persuasive techniques used by one self-described male expert in boyhood and academic achievement. Using Thematic Analysis (TA) and Feminist Post-Structural Discourse Analysis (FPDA), we identify dominant, competing, and oppositional discourses he posits, illustrating how gender norms are constructed and reinforced within educational spaces, shaping boys' lived experiences and delimiting the possibilities for their identities and opportunities.
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        PageCount: 18
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      – SubjectFull: Males
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Issues
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Standardized Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gap
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      – SubjectFull: Masculinity
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      – SubjectFull: Physical Activities
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