First published 2011
Alexandra Robbins examines the social ecosystem of American schools by tracking actual students who exist on the margins. She follows self-identified nerds, freaks, punks, Goths, and other outcasts through an entire academic year, documenting their daily experiences in real hallways and cafeterias. Robbins argues that virtually every student becomes an outsider at some point, including those who appear popular on the surface like cheerleaders. Her investigation reveals how social cliques form and dissolve while certain students face ongoing exclusion. The author contends that society's growing uniformity creates space for these fringe students to eventually find acceptance and success. Rather than dismissing cafeteria outcasts as temporary casualties of adolescence, Robbins positions them as necessary contributors to our cultural future.
Genres: american, sociology, adolescence, social-issues, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Period: 21st-Century
448 pages · Hardcover · Hyperion