Institutional participation and social transformation: considering the goals and tensions of university-initiated YPAR projects with K-12 youth

In today’s educational context, characterized by growing inequality and the rise of neoliberal ideology, universities are dealing with pressures to contribute to the global workforce and partner with private interests rather than educating citizens and serving the public good. This article presents youth participatory action research (YPAR) as a practice that can encourage reflection about the complex purposes of higher education and the politics of knowledge production in this moment. The authors explore how 26 university faculty members who engage in YPAR conceptualize the purposes of this practice and consider the role of the university in this work. Findings indicate that YPAR promotes both participation in existing educational structures and transformation of those structures in pursuit of social improvement and offers opportunities to push back against the hardening of neoliberal pressures on universities towards democratic and collaborative research.