| Evolving from my experiences of growing up in rural Alberta, this study examines the various ways in which a group of rural youth engage social spaces in their community. This data was gathered though a critical ethnographic approach. The participants are grade seven school youth who communicated their understandings of social space using arts-informed methods: a written response worksheet, photography, self-portraits and semi structured interviews. The dominant themes highlighted in this work are: living in community spaces, gendered spaces, and youth transgression (authority and discipline). The data suggests that the experiences of rural youth are often coded through media in similar ways to non-rural youth. Given the rich data in this study I conclude by suggesting some pedagogical and research recommendations. |
