Higher Educational Aspirations Formation in Contexts of Disadvantage

Mkwananzi provides an original contribution by conceptualising the formation of higher educational aspirations among migrant youths in disadvantaged contexts. The fourfold conceptualisations of resigned, powerful, persistent and frustrated illustrate what happens at the intersection of diverse contextual environments and different levels of agency. The chapter illustrates that, although material support is important for the youth, it is inadequate on its own and may fail to prepare them fully for their future. It is therefore essential to understand the diverse conversion factors that influence the formation of migrants’ educational aspirations and what this may mean for their plans in relation to human development. Through this comprehensive analysis of the sometimes overlooked lived realities of disadvantaged groups, Mkwananzi provides a starting point for engaging with various structures under which these aspirations are formed.