Examining youth agency in post-conflict, Sri-Lankan school settings

Abstract

The authors report on a youth agency study conducted in post-conflict school settings in Sri Lanka. In a three-month field-based, qualitative research study, youth collaborated with the first author to explain and expand on their interviews. Their candor and concern for ensuring that the researcher understood the rationales behind their actions helped to reveal the agentic nature of their responses to situations at school. In doing so they helped the researcher understand how they mitigated their exposure to violent practices that were prevalent in their school settings. The findings point to the importance of recognizing and supporting youth agency as a crucial lever in advancing inclusive education.