New learning worlds

The Significance of Nature in the Lives of Marginalised Young People

Bibliographic Data

ID2928057
AuthorsJ Quinn (0000-0002-8920-5533, University of Plymouth, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume34
Issue5
Pages716-730
Publication date2013-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDiscourse Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0159-6306 • E-ISSN: 1469-3739
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01596306.2013.728366
OpenAlexW2054238112
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited25

This article explores a hitherto neglected issue: the significance of nature in the learning lives of marginalised young people. Drawing on both post-human and sociocultural perspectives, it develops a theoretical analysis of this important subject. It uses research with 114 young people in jobs without training in rural South-west England to analyse how marginalised young people engage with nature and what they learn from it. It concludes that the intra-activity of young people and nature creates the potential for new worlds and bodies, but ones that are still shaped by social inequalities. Nature is often highly significant in the lives of marginalised young people, potentially offering them the freedom, equilibrium and expertise that had been denied in the formal educational context and opening them up to learning. However, these new learning worlds are transient and social inequalities need to be addressed in order to make them sustainable. Policy makers have become interested in harnessing nature to citizenship drives for young people, for example in the UK National Citizen Service Plan. But the article concludes that regimented initiatives are not the right approach to build on the personal, secret and playful qualities of this learning. The article draws out the important implications of this study for research, policy and practice.Keywords: young peoplemarginalisationnaturelearningpost-humancitizen service AcknowledgementsResearch funded by European Social Fund, Learning and Skills Council and Connexions. Thanks to Heather Knight, Sue Waite, and Rowena Passy, Plymouth University, for their help with this article and to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments

Citizenship · Inequality · Knight · Library science · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Children's Rights and Participation · Gender Studies · Law · Outdoor and Experiential Education · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics

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