Browsing by Author "Silvo, Maija"

The objective of this study is to examine how young people become subjects and construct their future in the discourses of youth workshops. In current governmental and European neoliberal discussion, the youth is expected to be active, effective and straightforward in their transitions to education and employment. Furthermore, the youth outside working life and education is considered to be "at-risk" and in need of guidance and support. In this study, my objective is to examine how it is possible for young people in youth workshops to construct their subjectivity and their future by repeating and mastering the discourses available in current time. My perspective on this study is based on post-structural theories. I conducted three group interviews and one individual interview in the youth workshops. I visited two youth workshops located in Helsinki metropolitan area and interviewed 17 youngsters. As a research method, I applied discourse analysis. By discourse I'm referring to historically, culturally and socially constructed "truth structures" that allow certain ways of thinking and acting. I have applied the concepts of subject position and subjectification as my analytical tools. According to this study, young people had assimilated the idea of an education- and working life-centered society. They constructed their subjectivity in relation to an ideal citizen who is educated and in working life. In the discourses of youth workshops it was possible for young people to become subjects through a position of "non-ideal youngster", "ideal a-like youngster" and through a position where the ideal was critically and reflexively questioned. Further, as constructing their future in the discourses of youth workshops, in addition to discussing education and employment young people brought up the requirement of individuality and uncertainty. Based on the results of this study, it seems clear that according to young people, integrating into the society requires education or having a job. In the discourses of youth workshops there is not much space becoming subject in any other way. However, due to the individuality and uncertainty of young people's future constructions, the straightforward transition to education and working life is challenged and questioned.