Meritocracy as Seen by Young People Living in Poverty in Quebec, Canada

Representations of meritocracy have mostly been studied through quantitative methods or from the "winners" of social competition's perspective. Based on 36 interviews with young people categorized as NEET (neither in education, employment, or training) in different regions of Quebec, this article reverses the gaze by studying their relationship to meritocracy. While reporting on the common challenges faced by these young people living in poverty, this research explores how they perceive meritocracy. By linking social background, life course and representations, the research identifies three distinct points of view on meritocracy among participants: rejection, tension, and internalization. The paper concludes by emphasizing the value of qualitative studies and the need to consider various registers and scales of analysis (family, social circle, social hardships, job market, and education experiences) to better understand how individuals perceive the social order.