Youth Research in Community Settings: Inspiring Social Engagement Through Critical Pedagogy, Collaboration, and Arts-Based Research

Background/Context: This article shares qualitative findings from one arts-based youth research project. It offers insights for educators and researchers working in youth-driven contexts with an interest in critical pedagogy, engaged research methods, and youth media. Purpose and Research Questions: Youth artist-researchers produced their own media projects that explored themes of importance to them as part of a critical media literacy project. The class was designed around the research question: What role do narratives, representation, and media-making play in the identity construction of youth in an urban setting? Research Design: The arts-based research project, Through the Lens of Resistance, involved six youth artist-researchers who produced media artworks during the summer class and presented their work in community spaces. I led the class and collected data, serving as both teaching artist and lead researcher. The installations explored racialized violence, representation, and the political work of media. Youth researchers learned critical media theory and media-based qualitative methods from a Global Action Project curriculum over 4 weeks. In the final 2 weeks, youths worked individually or in groups to design an arts-based installation that involved media research. After the conclusion of the class, two artists continued to show one of the final projects in various community settings. Qualitative data shared here come from interviews, participant observation, and one focus group. Findings/Results: This article identifies the potential of qualitative methods that foreground critical pedagogy and art-making to generate youth community engagement and critical consciousness. It shares insights for educators and researchers working in youth-driven contexts. This article demonstrates that arts-based research grounded in critical pedagogy and community spaces offers a powerful vehicle for young people to develop critical consciousness as they grapple with social issues.