Urban school and reconfiguration of identities in rural youth

Abstract

The research article presents the beliefs and values underlying youth in a rural context and how schools influence the reconfiguration of their identities, in order to recognize them as social development actors in their communities. A qualitative approach, based on ethnographic methodology, was approached from a hermeneutical and double reflexivity perspective. To collect the information, the survey, focus groups, participant observation, research workshop, semi-structured and in-depth interview and field diary with the participation of 62 students and 10 professors of the technical secondary education level, were implemented. According to the findings, rural youth reconfigure their identities in the urban school setting, product of the reflexivity of their beliefs, values and the search for recognition and positioning in social settings. It was appreciated how the beliefs (ideologies, religiosity and traditions) and values (household habits, principles and bonds of union) affect the configuration of the identities (reflected in documents, own characteristics and otherness) of rural youth.