Roots and Routes into Higher Education: Exploring Familial Dynamics and How They Shape First-in-Family Students' Perceptions of University


Franziska Lessky, University of Innsbruck

In the aftermath of the pandemic and its irrevocable disruption of higher education, calls for policymakers to equalize and widen participation of under-represented student groups, such as those who are the first in their families attending university (First-in-Family students), are intensifying in Western countries and beyond. These calls are supported by research arguing that a deeper understanding of how educational pathways are constituted and shaped is necessary to create measures aimed at dismantling barriers and moving towards a more inclusive and sustainable higher education system. While the persistence of educational levels has been extensively studied in the past, little is known about how individuals break the intergenerational cycle and what enables them to do so. Recent research in the sociology of education argues that exploring the dynamics within the family and their role in shaping educational pathways has been neglected in higher education studies so far. For the school context, these dynamics have been illuminated more prominently. In this regard, scholars in this field argue that focusing on milieu and social class, as dominant factors influencing educational pathways, is important, but it simplifies the complexity of the social and cultural contexts in which students are embedded. This study addresses this issue by shedding light on how familial dynamics shape First-in-Family students’ perceptions of university and what studying means to them. By drawing on the narratives of 31 students from four Austrian public universities (conducted between 2018 and 2024) and applying a theoretical understanding of familial interactions and Bourdieu’s habitus theory, this study illuminates the complex nature of familial dynamics and the ways they contribute to shaping the educational pathways of First-in-Family students and their perception of university. Using a hermeneutical methodological approach to analyse the empirical data, a typology of what studying subjectively means to First-in-Family learners will be presented. Three types were reconstructed from the empirical material, grounded in the students’ perceptions of familial dynamics and university: Studying as (1) emancipating from familial expectations, (2) aligning with familial expectations, and (3) breaking the intergenerational cycle. This presentation will conclude with theoretical implications on how we can gain a deeper understanding of how we can better support diverse learners and create a more inclusive and sustainable higher education system. By highlighting the importance of gaining a nuanced picture of First-in-Family students’ perceptions of university, I hope this study enriches discussions about which interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological approaches can be used for comprehending (educational) mobility; how do mobility experiences shape the educational paths of learners; and what specific resources (e.g. forms of capital) are imparted through mobility experiences.

This paper will be presented at the following session: