Transforming Spaces: Chicana Feminism and Theories of Place in Youth Participatory Action Research

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 10:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Activating Student Knowledge: Youth Building and Action Research (Table 4)

Abstract

This paper examines the experiences of students and teachers involved in Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) within classrooms, theorizing it through Doreen Massey's plurality of space and Emma Pérez's Third Space. At the Center for Urban Education at CSU, we collaborate with five teachers and their students to integrate youth voices in research to enact change within schools. During the 2023-2024 school year, we collected field notes, teacher interviews, and student interviews to understand YPAR's implementation. By applying a spatial lens, we reflect on how students and teachers navigate, resist, and reshape their socio-spatial realities. Our findings illuminate the transformative potential of YPAR in fostering critical consciousness and agency among youth in urban educational settings.

Authors

• Rosalinda Godinez, Cleveland State University

• Adam Voight, Cleveland State University