Youth Are Not All the Same: On the Appropriateness and Limits of Participatory Methods in Youth Research

The field of youth studies has traditionally promoted participatory methods, assuming that young people prefer creativity over standard methods like traditional ethnography or one-to-one interviews. However, my experience in Medellín, Colombia, reveals complications. While youth with strong ties to civil society and activism found comfort in participatory methods, youth who were out of school or in conflict with the law felt alienated by formalized processes and institutional spaces. Too often, participatory techniques homogenize youth perspectives, taking the views of socially engaged youth as representative of all youth. Researchers should instead acknowledge diverse youth experiences and employ different methods for different youth groups.