Laddishness' is central to the current discourse on boys ' 'underachievement', with 'laddish' behaviours being seen by many people as an impediment to the progress of some boys in school. The article attempts to demonstrate how self-worth theory may complement and extend our understandings of 'laddish' behaviours, which are currently informed by theories of masculinities. More speci cally, it is argued that it may be the case that for some secondary school boys, the construct of 'laddishness' acts as a self-worth protection strategy-protecting self-worth both from the implications of a lack of ability and from the implications of being seen to be feminine. The argument is developed by comparing characteristics of key self-worth protection or self-handicapping strategies with the behaviours reported by teachers, pupils and researchers to be characteristics of 'laddish' behaviour.

Laddish' behaviours in school have been identified as impediments to the academic progress of some boys and girls. This article provides and discusses empirical evidence to support Jackson's proposal in an earlier article that 'laddish' behaviours may act to protect the self-worth and/or social worth of many boys, and that 'laddishness' may be prompted by both a fear of academic failure and a fear of the 'feminine'. Drawing upon data from interviews with 50 boys across two secondary schools, the article focuses upon a key characteristic of 'laddishness', namely, the overt rejection of academic work. It is suggested that overtly rejecting academic work serves a dual function for some boys. First, it enables them to act in ways currently consistent with hegemonic forms of masculinity in their schools. Secondly, it provides an excuse for failure and augments success.

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Ladettes' are argued to be a sign, and product, of contemporary development and change; their fortunes are presented as inextricably related to the conditions of late modernity. Using the past to shed light on the present, this paper considers whether fears and claims about the behaviour of some contemporary young women in Britain are exclusive to the present. Two data sets inform the discussion: first, representations of ladettes in national and local newspapers from 1995 to 2005; second, materials relating to the 'modern girl' published in the popular print media between 1918 and 1928. Although there have been important changes in the conditions of girlhood since the 1920s, this historical comparison highlights continuities in the representation of 'troublesome' youthful femininities. We explore similarities and differences in the characteristics attributed to the modern girls of the twenties and the ladettes of recent years, and the dominant discourses that underpin popular constructions of troublesome young women.

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