Agency of young people in peripheral areas – educational practices between regionality and family (AYPPA)

Background

Regional periphery is often associated with poor infrastructure, limited educational opportunities and negative media portrayals. Such perceptions can shape the educational decisions of young adults. Education, regional inequality and media portrayals are closely interlinked in this context. It remains unclear how young people subjectively interpret these conditions and how they cope with them.

Objectives

The aim of the project is to understand how perceived marginalisation influences educational decisions. The study will analyse the role played by family resources, social support networks and regional conditions. A further objective is to identify how scope for action is created or restricted. The project aims to develop a comparative model of agency in marginalised areas.

Methodology

The project employs an empirical comparative approach. Selected regions in Switzerland, Germany and Austria are being studied. The focus is on the educational trajectories of young adults. Qualitative analyses reconstruct educational decisions, strategies for staying put and mobility options. Key concepts include education, periphery, agency, family, region and youth.

Expected outcomes

The project is expected to yield new insights into how young people develop training and education strategies, even under challenging regional conditions. It will highlight educational practices that lead to strategies for staying in the region. Furthermore, the project demonstrates how family traditions, media images and structural conditions interact. The findings will provide impetus for research into transitions into working life, family processes and regional youth policy.