Abstract
In much of the youth empowerment literature, researchers focus on the relationship between youth and adults involved in empowerment
programs while neglecting the broader social framework in which these relationships and the program itself functions. Utilizing
an ecological model, the current research examines the tensions that surfaced in attempts to create an empowering setting
in an after-school PAR program with fifth-graders. Challenging assumptions about youth, structural challenges, and conflicting
theories of change are highlighted. Results examine the role of sociocultural context as PAR researchers attempt to create
a setting in which students gain skills to become change agents within their school. The study suggests that youth empowerment
is a context dependent process that requires attention to a multiplicity of factors that influence possibilities for empowerment
via second order change.
programs while neglecting the broader social framework in which these relationships and the program itself functions. Utilizing
an ecological model, the current research examines the tensions that surfaced in attempts to create an empowering setting
in an after-school PAR program with fifth-graders. Challenging assumptions about youth, structural challenges, and conflicting
theories of change are highlighted. Results examine the role of sociocultural context as PAR researchers attempt to create
a setting in which students gain skills to become change agents within their school. The study suggests that youth empowerment
is a context dependent process that requires attention to a multiplicity of factors that influence possibilities for empowerment
via second order change.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10464-010-9376-z
- Authors
- Danielle Kohfeldt, Psychology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Lina Chhun, Psychology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Sarah Grace, Psychology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Regina Day Langhout, Psychology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Journal American Journal of Community Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2770
- Print ISSN 0091-0562