How a sholarship girl becomes a soldier: The militarization of Latina/o youth in Chicago public schools

Abstract

Like many working-class communities, Chicago Puerto Ricans have a complicated relationship with the United States military. This article explores ethnographically how Latina/o youth in Chicago public schools come to decisions regarding their participation in Junior Reserve Officer Training Programs. While limited economic opportunities certainly inform these decisions, Latina/o youth and their parents are also influenced by gendered understandings of autonomy, kinwork, honor, and respectability in turning to military programs while in high school. This article explores the experiences of Latina/o youth in an increasingly militarized educational context. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.