Involving young people as researchers: uncovering multiple power relations among youths

Abstract

In this paper, we address the issue of giving young people a voice by involving them as interviewers in the research process. While highlighting the beneficial outcomes and the empowering potential of this method, we critically discuss the assumption that peer-led interviews create less hierarchical power relations as no adult is involved. We thus caution against seeing this method as the ultimate solution to young people's marginalisation. Considering that participation is a form of power, we argue that it is essential to acknowledge and work with the power relations that characterise young people's everyday lives and that thus also affect the creation of a participatory arena with them. Power relations among young people, however, have been mainly neglected in previous research. The paper draws on a participatory research project conduced with young people (14–16 years old) in rural east-Germany that focuses on the complexity of young people's daily life experiences and perceptions of their future prospects.

Keywords:

• methods
• empowerment
• participation
• rural youth
• young people as researcher

Acknowledgements

Very special thanks go to the young people who participated so enthusiastically in the research project. It was a fascinating time developing this project with them. We are grateful for the financial support of the Seale Hayne Educational Trust and the Foundation for Urban and Regional Studies of this doctoral study which is funded by the School of Geography, University of Plymouth.

Notes

1. Hereafter ‘I’ refers to the corresponding author who conducted the empirical work.

2. Böhse Onkelz started as a German punk-band in 1980 and quickly gained a cult status in the right-wing scene. Although since 1986 the band officially took position against every kind of extremism including right-wing extremism their music is still often perceived in the context of right-wing radicalism. This also finds its expression in this interview, as the group refers to the Bösen Onkelz as a right-wing band.