Vegan young people in England: an exploratory study on their identity, relationships and educational experiences

Lugassy, Hayley (2022) Vegan young people in England: an exploratory study on their identity, relationships and educational experiences. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This thesis contains three parts: 1) a literature review relating to the subject area, 2) an empirical paper, and 3) a bridging and reflective chapter. First, the literature review provides an overview of the literate in relation to: veganism; the legislative context for schools in relation to protected characteristics which includes veganism; inclusive education and school belonging; improving relationships between groups, and; theories of identity, including adolescent identity development and the role schools play in adolescent identity development. Then, the empirical paper comprises a qualitative study on the educational experiences of 12 vegan young people aged 11-12 in England. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is at the forefront of many people’s minds, and schools have a legal duty under The Equality Act (2010) to prevent students from discrimination. Since 2021, veganism is a considered a protected characteristic under The Equality Act (2010) as a philosophical belief. The literature on adult vegans suggests that vegans can experience discrimination, social rejection and stigma. Little is currently known, however, about the experiences of young vegans. Given the amount of time vegans spend in school and the social aspect of it, it is pertinent to gain an understanding of what the educational experiences of vegan young people are. A combined thematic analysis and polytextual thematic analysis was used to analyse in-depth interviews and images created by the young people. The findings highlighted four key themes, including: Balancing and Raising Awareness; Intergroup Relationships and Interactions; The School System and Protective Factors. The findings are discussed in depth, with recommendations for future research provided. Lastly, the bridging and reflective account details the personal research journey of the author, from identifying a research area through how the research contributes to Educational Psychology.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	25 Oct 2022 14:43
Last Modified:	25 Oct 2022 14:43
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/89352
DOI:

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