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About this paper symposium
| Panel information |
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| Panel 7. Diversity, Equity & Social Justice |
| Paper #1 | |
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| Nurturing Critical Action: Family Ethnic-Racial Socialization's Role in Developing Youth Critical Consciousness | |
| Author information | Role |
| Nabila Jamal Orozco, University of Pittsburgh, United States | Presenting author |
| Daphne A. Henry, University of Pittsburgh, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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This conceptual review explores how family ethnic-racial socialization (ERS)—through cultural socialization, preparation for bias, and egalitarianism—shapes critical consciousness (CC) and fosters critical action (CA) among Black and Latine youth. Drawing on theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, the review highlights the impact of parental messaging on youth sociopolitical engagement, with an emphasis on resilience and agency in confronting systemic injustices. Sociocultural and critical theories (e.g., Freire, 1970; Spencer, 1995; Diemer et al., 2021; Crenshaw, 1991) demonstrate that parental ERS fosters CC, encouraging youth participation in CA. Critical consciousness theory focuses on CA development, while Critical Race Theory (CRT) emphasizes lived experiences in shaping youths' understanding of injustices. The Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST) explains how sociocultural factors interact with identity processes to build resilience. This review synthesizes progress in developmental psychology concerning ERS's role in fostering CA among Black and Latine youth. Literature from legal studies, sociology, education, and psychology identifies research gaps and proposes pathways for future exploration (Byrne & Cunningham, 1985; Hulland, 2020). The systematic review included 74 articles, selecting studies with samples aged 12-18, focusing on Black and Latine youth. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were reviewed, resulting in 8 empirical studies on the ERS-CA relationship and 12 addressing race/ethnicity moderation. Empirical findings indicate that parental ERS shapes racial identity, influencing CA engagement. Cultural socialization fosters pride and resilience, preparing youth to confront inequalities. Preparation for bias equips them to handle discrimination, bolstering critical consciousness (Bañales et al., 2021; Hope et al., 2020). Egalitarianism remains underexplored, with mixed findings suggesting it may empower or hinder CA depending on the context (Byrd & Ahn, 2020). This review underscores the importance of understanding how ERS dimensions contribute to CA development. Implications for Practice: These findings suggest several actionable strategies for parents, educators, and community leaders. Empowering parents to engage in intentional ERS can enhance youth resilience and engagement in CA, creating environments that validate racial identity and provide tools for navigating systemic racism. Schools and community programs should incorporate these ERS dimensions into curricula and interventions to foster sociopolitical engagement among Black and Latine youth, thereby nurturing critical consciousness and civic participation. Implications for Research: Future research should address the gaps identified in this review by investigating how different subtypes of ERS—especially egalitarianism—uniquely influence CA. Longitudinal studies are needed to explore how ERS shapes CA across different developmental stages. Moreover, greater attention must be paid to racial/ethnic variations in the ERS-CA relationship to understand how these processes differ for Black and Latine youth. By focusing on these areas, scholars can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms driving CA and inform interventions aimed at promoting youth empowerment and systemic change. |
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| Paper #2 | |
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| Cultural Socialization and Critical Consciousness in BIPOC and White Youth | |
| Author information | Role |
| Kaila Daza, Boston College, United States of America | Presenting author |
| Scott Seider, Boston College, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Daphne A. Henry, University of Pittsburgh, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| James Huguley, University of Pittsburgh, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Babatunde Alford, Boston College, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Marisa Huang, Boston College, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Critical consciousness refers to the ability to analyze and confront the systems of oppression that impact our daily lives (Freire, 1970). Originally conceived by philosopher-educator Paulo Freire as the foremost goal of education, critical consciousness has since been conceptualized by contemporary scholars as containing three dimensions: critical reflection, critical motivation, and critical action. Critical reflection refers to one’s awareness of the social hierarchy and systems of oppression; critical motivation refers to one’s efficacy and motivation to transform these systems; and critical action refers to one’s efforts to engage in individual or collective sociopolitical action in resistance to these systems (Diemer et al., 2010). A growing body of research has found that nurturing young people’s critical consciousness is associated with a host of positive developmental outcomes (e.g., academic achievement, career outcomes, mental health) (Diemer et al., 2010; McWhirter & McWhirter, 2016; Rogers & Terriquez, 2013; Zimmerman et al., 1999). Though there is substantial evidence for critical consciousness as a promotive factor, less is known about the ontogenesis of critical consciousness in young people (Diemer et al., 2016). A few recent studies have documented links between young people’s received ethnic-racial socialization and their critical consciousness (Anyiwo et al., 2018; Banales et al., 2019), suggesting that more frequent explicit parental ethnic-racial socialization is associated with greater levels of critical consciousness. Ethnic-racial socialization broadly encompasses both the explicit and implicit (i.e., verbal and nonverbal) messages adults transmit to children about race and ethnicity, group membership and identity, and ethnic-racial stratification (Hughes et al., 2006). Several types of ethnic-racial socialization have been frequently documented across ethnic-racial groups, the most common of which is cultural socialization (which refers to information parents share with their children about the history, values, and traditions of their ethnic-racial groups and may include messages of racial pride) (Stevenson et al., 2002). The present study explores the extent to which received cultural socialization messages predict critical consciousness development in two separate samples of young people: high school students and college undergraduates. High school students (n = 186) and college undergraduates (n = 373) were administered identical surveys including measures of parental ethnic-racial socialization experiences, critical consciousness, and civic engagement. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were estimated to measure the predictive relationship between received cultural socialization and the three dimensions of critical consciousness. We originally estimated two moderation models, with race/ethnicity as a binary moderator. While we are still engaged in data analysis, initial analyses suggest that the relationship between cultural socialization and critical consciousness outcomes differs depending on the race/ethnicity of the individual. We plan to discuss the results of this exploratory study by unpacking potential explanations for these different relationships, such as the various ways cultural socialization manifests in White families, issues with currently available measures of these complex constructs, and confounding variables such as safety for BIPOC young people. |
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| Paper #3 | |
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| Building Foundational Capacity for Critical Civic Action Through Place-based Environmental Civic Science in School Contexts | |
| Author information | Role |
| Alisa Pykett, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States | Presenting author |
| Erin Gallay, University of Michigan, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Constance Flanagan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Throughout history, young people have found and forged pathways into critical civic action, often motivated by their own experiences of injustice and a desire to create just and equitable conditions. Opportunities to practice civic work, engage with community-based organizations and participate in social movements provide particularly powerful pathways for youth to develop civic action skills and a sense of civic agency and efficacy. A subset of youth organizations outside of school settings create opportunities for youth to learn about community issues and build the leadership and political skills to take action to address these issues, i.e., youth organizing groups, social justice or issues-focused groups. However, only a fraction of young people join these organizations. In addition to these groups, there is a need for opportunities for all young people to build civic action skills and understanding, a sense of agency in community work, and social capital. Building civic capacity is at the heart of democracy, necessary for broad community participation and for working against forms of oppression that keep people from the decision-making processes that impact their lives. In the U.S., schools are a key setting for building the foundational skills of practicing democracy, despite how controversial teaching the skills of democracy has become in schools as polarization across the country has increased. In this presentation we will share key practices and student outcomes from implementation of an educational model called Environmental Civic Science (ECS) that shows promise for building a foundation for critical civic action. ECS is rooted in local place, youth agency, and community-driven civic approaches. In ECS, students work together with their teachers and community partners to determine environmental issues of concern to them, their families, and their community; collect relevant data; identify local decision-makers and demystify how decision-making works; and craft calls to action. Teachers who led ECS in their classes participated in ongoing ECS professional development and a regional place-based stewardship education learning community and received implementation coaching. We will share emerging findings from two different phases of a larger mixed methods study focused on 9th-12th grade students in science, language arts, and social studies classes who participated in ECS in one rural, two urban, and one suburban school district. Forty-one students completed pre- and post- surveys in phase one (56% female; 66% Black, 27% White, 10% Latine) and 310 students in phase two (50% female; 59% White, 24% Black, 10% Latine). Preliminary findings, based on paired samples t-tests on pre- post- survey responses, show that students who participated in ECS developed civic action efficacy and sociopolitical efficacy and agency. Students’ perceptions about their classroom and community also shifted. They saw their classrooms as more democratic – spaces where they could voice their opinions and be heard – and recognized that people in their communities work for the common good. We will discuss implications for further study and practice and explore the challenges and possibilities of the school context for building capacity for critical civic action in relation to other settings. |
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| Paper #4 | |
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| Effects of a Youth Activist Training Program on Critical Consciousness Development | |
| Author information | Role |
| Dr. Laura Wray-Lake, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, United States of America | Presenting author |
| Christopher M. Wegemer, University of California, Los Angeles, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Elan C. Hope, Policy Research Associates, Inc., United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Kristina Cổ-Đoàn, University of Toronto, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Qin L. Kramer, Northeastern University, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Emily Greytak, American Civil Liberties Union, United States of America | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Adolescents lead social movements and fight for social justice in meaningful and powerful ways. Young activists need continuous opportunities for deepening their critical consciousness development, i.e., critical reflection, agency, and action, to support optimal development and more effective activism (Terriquez, 2015). Resources, supports, and teachings that grow adolescents’ critical consciousness are often most available through community-based organizations (Watts & Halkovic, 2022). We examine the role of a unique opportunity structure – a national, residential one-week activist training program led by a civil rights organization – in shaping adolescents’ critical consciousness development. The program focused on inspiring young activists, building their knowledge and skills, and connecting young activists through community building. We hypothesized that program participants would increase in critical reflection, agency, and action immediately after the program and 6 months later, relative to a comparison group of young activists. Adolescent program participants (N = 87) and a comparison group of adolescent activists recruited via social media (N = 196) were surveyed prior to the program, one week after (Nprogram = 58, 67%; Ncomparison = 166, 85%), and 6 months after the program (Nprogram = 47, 54%; Ncomparison = 165, 84%). Analytic samples included only cases with post-test or 6-month data, respectively; partial responses were multiply imputed. Political actions were measured by 12 lower cost (i.e., less effort and risk) actions and 11 higher cost actions; behavioral intentions were measured at pre-test and one-week later (definitely not (1) to definitely (6)) and frequency of behaviors were measured at pre-test and 6-months later (never (1) to very frequently (7)). Critical reflection was measured with three scales validated by pilot data that aim to capture youth’s understanding of structural inequalities: critical systems thinking (4 items), intersectional awareness (5 items), and awareness of systemic racism (6 items). Critical agency was measured by four scales with four items each that were theoretically-derived and validated by pilot data, capturing competence, drive, individual power, and collective power. Difference-in-differences models were used to assess the extent to which youth in the program increased in critical consciousness relative to the comparison group. Results indicated that low-cost and high-cost action intentions increased immediately after the program for program participants relative to the comparison group. Program participants had a marginally greater increase in frequency of high-cost actions relative to the comparison group 6 months later. None of the three critical reflection measures showed group differences one week post-program; program participants showed greater increases in awareness of systemic racism than comparison groups 6 months later. Regarding agency, program participants increased in competence, individual power, and collective power, but not drive, directly following the program; these increases were marginally significant 6 months later. The program’s immediate impacts on dimensions of adolescents’ action and agency illustrate the value of intensive opportunities for young activists to learn in community with others. The limited long-term findings may suggest that critical consciousness-raising opportunities may need to unfold over a longer period of time; our analyses were also underpowered. The field needs to continue identifying evidence-based ways to support the development of young activists. |
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Building Resilience: Sociocultural and Contextual Influences on Youth Empowerment and Critical Consciousness
Submission Type
Paper Symposium
Description
| Session Title | Building Resilience: Sociocultural and Contextual Influences on Youth Empowerment and Critical Consciousness |