Becoming-with-others: Young people's aspirations for social change in the context of community

Abstract

Young people today are in a constant state of becoming, yet in an individualised world, their complex interactions with peers are often overlooked. This paper draws on the concepts of hope, being-in-progress, and Othering to illuminate the relational and collective aspects of young people’s agency and actions, challenging the individualised focus of previous research into youth aspirations. This paper examines the aspirations and sense of agency for societal change of 80 students aged 12 to 15 across three Australian schools (rural, semi-rural, and urban). Examining these schools as a microcosm of society, this research examines the reciprocal relationship between young people and their scho..