Rural youth
Short description
The project aim to develop an understanding of youth and their agency in different contexts by focusing especially on rural schools. It asks what it is that distinguishes and unites young people ́s social inclusion and participation in rural and urban schools and how schools in different places address their opportunities to work with social inclusion.
About the project
The project takes its starting point in the current dominance of urban studies in contemporary educational research and addresses the need for more knowledge about young people in rural contexts. This need is emphasized by research indicating that rural youth are, contrary to what is often assumed, experiencing rather severe problems with social exclusion. For instance, research shows that it is mainly young people from outside metropolitan regions who express a lack of involvement in Swedish society and a lack of confidence in the government and in parliament.
Aim of the project
The project will therefore aim to develop an understanding of youth and their agency in different contexts by focusing especially on rural schools. It asks what it is that distinguishes and unites young people ́s social inclusion and participation in rural and urban schools and how schools in different places address their opportunities to work with social inclusion. The empirical study will include a total of six rural secondary schools and two urban ones. One class will be selected for ethnographic fieldwork from each school. Observations of teaching content and interactions, and interviews with young people will be the main data sources.
Project members
Elisabet Öhrn, Project Leader, University of Gothenburg
Dennis Beach, University of Gothenburg
Monica Johansson, University of Gothenburg