ABSTRACT
In Chapter Five I discuss participants experiences and perceptions of exclusion from everyday science learning. Chapter Five starts by exploring participants views of exclusion from everyday science in broad terms, from science on television to political consultations, then focuses on science museums as a specific example. I argue that for participants, everyday science learning practices were marked by racism and its intersections with class discrimination and, for some, sexism. Participants’ exclusion was embodied in the differences they felt between themselves and the somatic norm of white, middle and upper class bodies that used, produced and were represented in everyday science learning. Practices of exclusion created a visceral, embodied sense of alienation for participants that led them to reject everyday science learning, even at the same time as they were excluded. I argue that exclusion must therefore also be understood as non-participation and suggest these operate as two sides of the same coin, creating a resilient, exclusive system.
