Routledge Engaging Youth in Critical Arts Pedagogies and Creative Research for Social Justice

Originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, this volume explores how researchers, educators, artists, and scholars can collaborate with, and engage young people in art, creative practice, and research to work towards social justice and political engagement.  By critically interrogating the dominant discourses, cultural, and structural obstacles that we all face today, this volume explores the potential of critical arts pedagogies and community-based research projects to empower young people as agents of social change. Chapters offer nuanced analyses of the limits of arts-based social justice collaborations, and grapple with key ethical, practical, and methodological issues that can arise in creative approaches to youth participatory action research. Theoretical contributions are enhanced by Notes from the Field, which highlight prime examples of arts-based youth work occurring across North America. As a whole, the volume powerfully advocates for collaborative creative practices that facilitate young people to build power, hope, agency, and skills through creative social engagement.  This volume will be of interest to scholars, researchers, postgraduate students, and scholar-practitioners involved in community- and arts-based research and education, as well as those working with marginalized youth to improve their opportunities and access to a quality education and to deepen their political participation and engagement in intergenerational partnerships aiming to increase the conditions for social justice.  Review "In the sweet spot where critical youth participatory action research sits alongside youth organizing and arts activism, these writers -- academics, activists, and artivists -- light up a provocative volume designed for those who yearn to engage creative research for social justice, but may be a little anxious. The table of contents is a stunning assemblage of writers, crafting inquiries for justice, rooted in critical race, queer, transnational and decolonizing theories, asking always how to honor the critical insights and incites of young people at the edge, and how to build aesthetic and epistemic justice to provoke the radical imagination. Maxine Greene is giggling in her grave. Bravo to all." - Michelle Fine, Distinguished Professor of Critical Psychology and Urban Education, The City University of New York (CUNY), USA "Youth practice is alive and well, and this book attests to its vibrancy. Engaging Youth in Critical Arts Pedagogies and Creative Research for Social Justice Opportunities and Challenges of Arts-based Work and Research with Young People captures the promise, excitement, and energy by discussing participatory democracy, youth, the arts, and social justice. What makes this book unique is that it effectively bridges theory and its application to practice, which is often a difficult challenge to overcome. The editors are to be commended for integrating youth voices throughout and even having them play a direct and active role in contributing content so that their voices are not drowned out by adults. In essence, this book will find a home in the academy and in the field, a rare accomplishment. I highly recommend this book!" - Melvin Delgado, Professor of Social Work, Boston University, USA   About the Author Kristen P. Goessling is Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University, Brandywine, United States. Dana E. Wright is Associate Professor in the School of Education at Mills College, United States. Amanda C. Wager is a Canada Research Chair in Community Research in Arts, Culture & Education and Professor in the Faculty of Education at Vancouver Island University, Canada. Marit Dewhurst is Director of Art Education and Associate Professor of Art and Museum Education at The City College of New York, United States.