Mind the gap: is having a gap year a privilege of the elite?

Absztrakt (kivonat)

The gap year phenomenon originated in the 1960s and emphasises non-academic experience, including travelling, work placements, volunteering and other activities. It can be traced back to the Grand Tour of Europe, which is undertaken by young elites from upper-class families to learn a new language and experience culture and history by travelling. However, with the development of society, it seems that more and more people are taking a year out for different purposes. This has led to attention to the phenomenon of gap years, such as from the perspective of disciplines including sociology, anthropology, pedagogy, etc. Some studies have pointed out that different groups have different ‘experiences’ when undertaking gap year activities, whether from the beginning or at the end. The target population of the dissertation is the students involved in the gap year from different backgrounds. Through the in-depth qualitative interview, test whether there is a gap between elite and non-elite groups involved in a gap year, or the gap year is only a personal choice regardless of social background. The dissertation is structured as follows: the first chapter focuses on the background of the chosen topic and the formulation of the question. The second chapter is the basis of the study, clearly explaining the thread of the development of the gap year and some sociological theories related to the gap year through works of literature. The remainder of the dissertation is the main body of the research, including the methodology of how the research was conducted and the analysis of the collected data, culminating in a summary and suggestions.