School, art, and citizenship in dialogue: an ethnographic para-site in Chinchero, Peru

• In Event: Catalysts of Change: Youth, Education, and Creativity in a Digital Era

Proposal

This study explores the implementation of an innovative ethnographic method, the "para-site," to examine notions of citizenship among secondary school students in Chinchero, Peru, a community experiencing rapid socioeconomic transformations due to tourism and the development of a new international airport. The research focuses on how a collaborative art project, culminating in an itinerant exhibition, can foster critical reflection on citizenship in an educational context. The central research question guiding this study is: How does the use of a para-site ethnographic approach, through collaborative art projects, influence the understanding and expression of citizenship among youth in a rapidly changing indigenous community?

This study addresses the crucial intersection of education, citizenship, and social change, central themes in the field of comparative and international education. The research is particularly relevant in the context of indigenous communities facing rapid modernization processes, offering insights into how young people negotiate their citizen identities under these changing circumstances. At a time when many communities worldwide face similar challenges, this study provides an innovative model for exploring and fostering citizenship formation in contexts of accelerated transformation.

The study is grounded in the concept of the "para-site" introduced by George Marcus (2000), which proposes flexible spaces for reflection and knowledge production outside conventional notions of the anthropological field. This idea is interwoven with contemporary theories on youth citizenship, particularly the work of Lazar (2010), which conceptualizes citizenship as an active social practice rather than a passive status. The theoretical framework also incorporates Pease's (2022) perspectives on citizenship education in contexts of change, which underscore the importance of adapting educational approaches to the changing realities of young people.

Furthermore, the study draws on Pink's (2013) contributions to the field of visual anthropology, emphasizing the importance of visual and sensory methods in ethnographic research. This perspective is complemented by participatory approaches in youth research, recognizing their agency and capacity to co-produce knowledge about their own realities.

This multifaceted theoretical framework allows for a rich and nuanced exploration of how young people in Chinchero construct and negotiate their citizen identities in a context of rapid social, economic, and cultural change.

The study employs a qualitative approach centered on the creation of an ethnographic para-site in the form of a collaborative art project. The primary participants are second-year secondary school students from Tupac Inka Yupanqui school in Chinchero, Cusco. The methodology was designed to be participatory, reflective, and adapted to the local context.

Data collection techniques include:

1. Talking Maps: Students create visual representations of their community, highlighting places and elements they consider significant to their citizenship experience.

2. Photovoice: Participants capture photographs representing their notions of citizenship in Chinchero, accompanied by personal narratives.

3. Child-led Tours: Students guide tours through Chinchero, pointing out spaces relevant to their citizenship experience.

4. Photo-elicitation: Historical photographs of Chinchero are used to stimulate discussions about changes in the community and how these have affected notions of citizenship.

5. Collaborative Curation: Students participate in the process of selecting and organizing works for the final exhibition.

Data analysis employ thematic analysis and visual discourse analysis, integrating both the artistic outputs and the narratives produced by participants.

The central product of the research is an itinerant exhibition in the form of a cube that travels through four strategic locations: the local school in Chinchero, Chinchero's main square, Cusco's historic center, and a cultural space in Lima. This itinerary allows for an exploration of how notions of citizenship are transformed and interpreted in different contexts, from local to national.

This innovative approach contributes to "Envisioning Education in a Digital Society" by demonstrating how creative, non-digital methodologies inform digital learning strategies. The para-site concept and collaborative art techniques offer insights for designing digital spaces that foster citizenship reflection, bridging traditional and modern approaches in changing contexts.
The study reveals key insights into youth citizenship in Chinchero. Students demonstrate a complex understanding of citizenship, integrating traditional identity with modern aspirations. Rapid tourism development and the airport project have generated tensions in citizenship notions, as youth negotiate between economic opportunities and cultural preservation. The school emerges as a crucial mediator between local and global, despite curriculum adaptation challenges. The collaborative art project fostered critical reflection on citizenship, facilitating intergenerational dialogues on identity and belonging. The itinerant exhibition highlighted the contextual and dynamic nature of citizenship across different settings.

This study introduces an innovative methodology using ethnographic para-sites to investigate citizenship formation amid rapid social change. It provides insights into how indigenous youth negotiate citizen identities during modernization, demonstrating the value of artistic and participatory approaches in educational research. The project offers a model for collaborative exploration of citizenship and social change, promoting inclusive research practices. It contributes to debates on adapting educational systems to rapid change, emphasizing the need for flexible, culturally sensitive approaches to citizenship formation in transforming communities.

While not directly addressing digital technologies, this study offers insights into educational adaptation in rapidly changing societies. The para-site methodology and collaborative art approach provide innovative ways to engage students in critical citizenship reflection, potentially adaptable to digital learning environments.

The study highlights the importance of flexible, contextualized approaches to citizenship education in transforming communities. It reveals that citizenship formation in contexts like Chinchero must consider changing social, economic, and cultural realities, emphasizing the need for dialogue between formal education, cultural traditions, and new economic realities.

This research opens avenues for exploring how participatory and artistic approaches can be integrated into citizenship education curricula across diverse contexts. Practical implications for educators include creating culturally responsive spaces for citizenship education, integrating local and global perspectives, and using creative methodologies to engage students in critical reflection on their roles as citizens in a changing world.

References

Lazar, S. (2010). Schooling and critical citizenship: Pedagogies of political agency in El Alto, Bolivia. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 41(2), 181-205.

Marcus, G. E. (2000). Para-sites: a casebook against cynical reason. University of Chicago Press.

Pease, M. A., (Ed.). (2022). Developmental Psychology for the Global South: A Transdisciplinary Perspective. Springer.

Pink, S. (2013). Doing visual ethnography. Sage.

Author

• Macarena Moscoso, Instituto de Estudios Peruanos