Teenage Citizens: The Political Theories of the Young

Abstract

greater access to the lives of individuals of the same gender or race and ethnicity, Fader strives to provide insight into young males in a context that sounds vastly different from her own standpoint. It is the reflexivity of sharing her personal story and comparing it with the young men that develops this researcher distance into a strength. The conversation moves into the important direction of outlining how the white social world compares to the lives of these young black men and how life chances are altered by the color line from an early age. Fader’s book has an important story to tell because it should be acknowledged that someone who lives and works in these white spaces can often play a larger role initiating a discussion for policy change and suggestions for improvement. Change requires people on the other side of the ‘‘hidden Philadelphia’’ to understand why reform schools alone cannot produce lower levels of recidivism. The critique of ‘‘criminal thinking errors’’ is powerful as well as outlining the broad array of challenges these young men encounter when reintegrating into the community. The stories of the 15 youth who contributed to this project, especially the voices of ‘‘Sincere’’ and ‘‘James,’’ allow readers to grapple with important issues that require a much-needed continued dialogue. For these reasons, I believe Fader’s book provides an important addition to the literature.