Constructing Youth: Reflecting on Defining Youth and Impact on Methods

Abstract

In diverse fields focused on youth, researchers define and position youth as subjects differently. Debates within these disciplines can be informative. This paper engages a current debate on how youth are engaged in and isolated from the research process while still being subjects of the research. This paper is a reflection on whether we are doing research"on" youth, or rather "with" youth, and why this distinction matters.