Beyond the concept: experiences and reflections on youth student participation

Authors

  • Sebastián Escobar González Universidad Finis Terrae
  • Herman Pezo Hoces Universidad de Chile

Abstract

Participation is established as a polysemic and controversial notion, as it entails a wide spectrum of interpretations. In the face of this conceptual trap, the following article delves into the exercise of youth student participation, in order to reveal its understanding. We resorted to qualitative materials (content analysis) collected from young secondary students and teachers from state schools. The main findings present the existence of diverse practices paving the path to an authentic and substantial participation that recognizes, in parallel, those practices that are still considered as such in spite of being antithetical.

Keywords:

youths, school, participation, adultcentrism, youth cultures, school culture

Author Biographies

Sebastián Escobar González, Universidad Finis Terrae

Licenciado en Educación, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, y Magíster en Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Chile. Profesor de la Facultad de Educación de la Universidad Finis Terrae y miembro del Núcleo de Investigación y Acción en Juventudes, Universidad de Chile. Correo electrónico: siescobar@uc.cl

Herman Pezo Hoces, Universidad de Chile

Trabajador social, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile. Investigador Núcleo de Investigación y Acción en Juventudes, Universidad de Chile. Correo electrónico: hermanfabian.pezo@gmail.com