In the light of underachievement and behavioural problems at school, male migrants turn up as a high-risk group. Oft en a traditional and familially passed ‘strange’ masculinity is attributed to these boys and is regarded as the reason for their failure at school. This article connects the perspectives of a manchild and youth research related to living conditions and to gender and asks for less deficiency oriented viewpoints. At the same time, excluding effects of a school system are considered, which is poorly adapted to the specific living conditions of migrants.

Keywords
masculinity, migration, school, youth culture