The Development of Sociopolitical Consciousness of Race and Class Inequality in Adolescents Attending Urban Schools

• In Event: 54.080 - Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 54.080-12 - Critical Examinations of Socioeconomic Status and Social Class in Education

Abstract

Sociopolitical consciousness refers to an individual’s ability to critically analyze the social forces shaping society. A growing body of scholarship reports that high levels of sociopolitical consciousness are predictive in marginalized adolescents of a number of key outcomes including resilience and civic engagement. The present study explored the role that urban secondary schools can play in fostering adolescents’ sociopolitical consciousness through a longitudinal, mixed methods investigation of adolescents attending five different schooling models. Preliminary analyses suggest that adolescents attending particular schooling models demonstrated significant growth in particular dimensions of their consciousness of race and/or class inequality. Qualitative interviews with participating adolescents offer insight into the curriculum, programming and practices that may have contributed to this significant sociopolitical development.

Authors

• Scott Clifford Seider, Boston University

• Daren Graves, Simmons College

• Lauren Kelly, Rutgers University Graduate School of Education

• Jalene Tamerat, Boston University

• Shelby Clark, Boston University

• Madora Soutter, Boston University

• Pauline Elizabeth Jennett, Boston University

• Aaliyah El-Amin, Harvard University

• Saira Malhotra, Boston University

• Jamie Johannsen, Boston University

• Melanie Cabral, Boston University