This book argues that educators and the general public have become complacent about girls' education as a consequence of the more recent fuss about problems for boys. After an analysis of persistent disquiet about girls' lifestyles, it uses theories of gender and education to demonstrate that girls are being produced in contradictory ways in current schooling. Many girls develop a sense of themselves through close connection with friendship groups but schooling processes typically require them to adopt the position of competitors in the end-of-school rankings and to act out their individualized positions in imagining themselves into the future. Ultimately the work offers insight and understanding leading to a less divisive educational pathway for girls.
"A Girl's Education likely will be an enlightening book for many readers, opening their eyes to an abundance of issues still affecting adolescent girls and their schooling today. Schooling is a crucial element of adolescence, and this book provides opportunities for further discussion regarding the issues young women continue to face in the world of education today." (Alexis Koomler, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 46, 2017)