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Abstract
In today’s educational context, characterized by growing inequality and the rise of neoliberal ideology, universities are dealing with pressures to contribute to the global workforce and partner with private interests rather than educating citizens and serving the public good. This article presents youth participatory action research (YPAR) as a practice that can encourage reflection about the complex purposes of higher education and the politics of knowledge production in this moment. The authors explore how 26 university faculty members who engage in YPAR conceptualize the purposes of this practice and consider the role of the university in this work. Findings indicate that YPAR promotes both participation in existing educational structures and transformation of those structures in pursuit of social improvement and offers opportunities to push back against the hardening of neoliberal pressures on universities towards democratic and collaborative research.
Notes
1. We use pseudonyms to refer to study participants throughout this article.
2. While we focus here on YPAR that is sponsored by university faculty, we do not mean to suggest that all YPAR occurs within or in collaboration with university researchers. YPAR is also incorporated into a wide range of youth development and youth organizing practices in community spaces.
3. Despite our efforts, our sample is by no means exhaustive or indicative of the entire landscape of university-based YPAR programs.
4. For a deeper exploration of the theory and practice of YPAR, see Mirra, Garcia, & Morrell, Citation2015.
5. 6 of the 26 faculty sponsors focused on elementary or middle school youth. Only 2 of the faculty sponsors reported that they worked primarily with middle- or upper income youth or white youth.