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"I Couldn't Just Sit There": Leadership Learning Through Activism
Becki Elkins1, Jackson Elkins2
1Department of Student Affairs Administration, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
New Directions for Student Leadership
|February 8, 2019
Summary
This study examines how a high school student and parent/educator interpret identity, leadership, and activism. Their shared understanding highlights the development of personal and social engagement in youth.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Education
- Youth Studies
Background:
- Adolescent development involves complex understandings of self and society.
- The concepts of identity, leadership, and activism are crucial for youth engagement.
- Intergenerational perspectives can enrich the understanding of these concepts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the meaning-making processes of a student and parent/educator regarding identity, leadership, and activism.
- To understand how these concepts are interpreted within a high school context.
- To investigate the intersection of personal identity, leadership potential, and social activism in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative exploration of concepts through dialogue.
- Case study approach focusing on one student-parent/educator dyad.
- Analysis of shared interpretations and meaning-making.
Main Results:
- The student and parent/educator developed nuanced understandings of identity formation.
- Leadership was perceived as both innate and developed through experience.
- Activism was seen as a pathway for expressing identity and enacting change.
Conclusions:
- Shared meaning-making enhances comprehension of complex social concepts.
- Adolescent identity, leadership, and activism are interconnected and socially influenced.
- Educational settings can foster deeper engagement with these critical concepts.