ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the relationship between social capital and the educational attainment of second- and third-generation Moroccans in London, especially its effect on children’s differential access to educational qualifications. The lens of social capital will show how educational attainment is affected, beyond the classical interpretations of achievement mainly associated with human, cultural and financial capital brought by the parents, as well as the ‘context of the reception’ (Rumbaut 1995: 49). The chapter first briefly discusses the possible links between education and social capital, drawing on extant literature. It then examines the main educational channels used by second- and third-generation Moroccans in London, and underlines factors influencing parents’ choice of schools. After a brief overview of the educational achievement of Moroccan children, it analyses how social capital, in some cases, can reinforce social exclusion amongst young Moroccans, instead of overcoming it.
