Skepticism in the Face of Civic Engagement: A Case Study (Poster 5)

• In Event: Research for Remedy: Supporting Civic Literacy Development

Abstract

In a youth participatory action project (YPAR) about racism that is the focus of this poster presentation, one such skeptic Xavier, a self-described “latinx teen from cali,” shaped the course of the class project, deepened its meaning, and shifted his teacher’s and my own (as researcher) perspectives on the importance of skepticism. Xavier saw “buying in” as “selling out,” and his skepticism taught us to shift 1) from mandated hope to truth-telling, 2) from oversimplification to complexity, 3) from experts to learners, and 4) from narrow and depersonalized academic goals and linear timelines to personal, flexible, iterative, and emergent work.
As a “pedagogy of voice” (Safir & Dugan, 2021, p. 107), YPAR can be understood as a pedagogy, research methodology, and an alternative epistemology that values youth knowledge (Caraballo et al., 2017). Caraballo and colleagues (2017) emphasized the epistemological view of YPAR in order to center youth voices and encourage YPAR’s continual evolution. Boyte’s (2018) public work pedagogy emphasizes rather than avoids the complexities and tensions in youth civic education as preparation for making change in a diverse democracy. In Freirean (1970/2000) terms, Xavier was not a problem, but rather a “problem poser” who engaged in reflection and action in his own personal ways.
Educators who support youth’s civic futures, and especially white educators engaging students of color in critical work, should look for the skeptics and listen more deeply to them. This can help us to be more honest about persistent inequities, acknowledge our own positionalities, and embrace the unexpected when students lead the action. Rather than being a barrier in youth social justice projects, skepticism can be leveraged into meaningful civic expression, a hopeful outcome after all.

Author

• Sarah Rapp, Sonoma State University