Be(com)ing Critical Scholars: The Emergence of Urban Youth Scholar Identities Through Research and Critical Civic Praxis

Abstract

This phenomenological case study examined the emergence of critical scholar identities among five urban youth who participated in a 2-year critical research fellows program. The program was grounded on the theoretical framework of Social Justice Youth Development, which included the development of self, social/community, and global awareness leading to critical consciousness and social action. Findings depict the personal and programmatic components of nurturing urban youth’s critical scholar identities and contribute to the growing body of literature in critical youth studies and scholar identity development with marginalized urban youth.