Youth in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Areas Paper Example

The research problem in this paper is to identify and critically analyze and explain how the youth with foreign backgrounds who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in Sweden are excluded from the rest of the society and thus making them less likely to make it in life in such environment. An instance of seclusion of the youth from the society in Sweden is where students and generally the youth from other backgrounds feel secluded when they are moving between their schools to their homes. Dina one of the students interviewed, expressed how they felt secluded from the rest when moving from the suburb to the City Centre and the school. Dina expresses her observations as a clear indication of demarcation. Traveling through the tram is interpreted to be impressionistic sociological learning of segregation and the aspect of urban difference. The movement from school to the student's home is a questionable scenario in light of differences in ethnic and exclusion and inclusion. (ROSENFELD, R. 2013. P23)

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To illustrate and point out the ethnicity differences when moving between these two localities, the students describe the experience as like moving from the stigmatized and segregated districts to the 'white' parts and affluent sections of the city. The youth view this movement that is characterized by meanings that symbolize connotations like cultural capital, status, and urban distinctions. The situation presents a bad reputation to the city and in such making the young students not have an equal chance to succeed like the rest of the young Swedish youths. The stigmatization of the young students and youth, in general, makes the students distance themselves to the rest thus making it hard to integrate into areas of sharing of ideas and fair competition. Stigmatization bars the young students and the young from getting an equal chance to participate in growth activities and in getting opportunities that would better their future lives. The idea of the youth in these cities feeling like they are in a less or minor positions haunts them badly, and this may make them not believe in themselves and in the hope of succeeding in their future lives. (FRANCE, A., BOTTRELL, D., & ARMSTRONG, D. 2012. P12).

The aspect of the exclusion has become an interesting topic to discuss given the scientific and in social discussions. Three theories will explain these aspects. The theories that will expound on this ideology include; Social stigma theory, labeling theory, and racialization theory. First, with the social stigma theory, it is interestingly to discuss in both scientific and in the social platform as they are both related. In the interview conducted on the students, they noted how the "whites" would exclude them and leave them on their side. The students felt alone as Dina pointed out that the others would look at them differently and this is a factor that raises the question on the nature of the city concerning equality. The other theory on labeling is about how people viewed the other young students who were not Swedish. In the research, we are told that due to the exclusion of the students by the 'whites; the students would feel as in the minority class compared to the others. It requires scientific research and analysis to understand such kind of situation in a society that seems modernized. The last theoretical aspect is racialization which is a factor that leads to other theories. The students interviewed in the research expressed their concern on how they were sidelined with the other Swedish students. (EVANS, P., & KRUGER, A. 2012. P14).

Not having the Swedish background had placed the student treated has not equal to the rest of the students. It is a painful situation since racism has become a national issue that people discuss and talk about each day. Racism is rooted in the scientific and social discussion because it is an aspect that is evident around the globe and thus scientific research and social discussion have been the order of the day in light to it.

The Study Design

The qualitative method has been employed in this context as it helps the researcher get the primary information to his research problem. By interviewing the young students individually, the researcher gets to know each of the student's insights to the research problem. The information gathered through qualitative method helps the researcher get direct perceptions of the students about the research problem. It is a method that is useful in the establishment of hypothesis to the research. The study research will involve an open end to end the discussion with each student to analyze their views on racism, labeling, and stigmatization. The empirical material materials to be used will be through the use of questionnaires in interviewing the students to find out their thoughts on the research problem. The method will be based on the students in Gothenburg city in Sweden. The researcher will be interested in sourcing information that will help him set a hypothesis to the research. The use of a qualitative method is the best to apply in this case as it will enable the youth to speak their minds freely and so provide the researcher with the information that is required.

The researcher might be bound to experience some problems throughout his study. The use of interview as a way of a collection of data can be problematic in the following ways; when using interviews or questionnaires, the researcher is not sure if the response of the students will be accurate. There usually is a gap between information obtained theoretically and those found by empirical indicators like questionnaires. These gaps in information always become a problem as it requires researchers to ever argue about them in deciding which to apply or not. The type of interviews to be used will be semi-structured and based on questionnaires as it would best fit the research study. (ELLIOTT-JOHNS, S. E., & JARVIS, D. H. 2014. P6).

Describe the analysis

The analysis of the research will be carried out by the use of interviews. The interview guide will be based on recordings that the selected sample subjects will answer to. The interview will be carried out according to the phenomenology perceptive as the philosophy to guide through the study. The interview will be carried per the youths selected. The youths of the age 17-23 will be subjected to the study to obtain the information required. The phenomenology research is best suited in this study since it seeks to understand the youth's personal experience about the racial, stigmatization and labeling in Sweden. By getting the experiences of the individual youth in the study, the researcher will be able to get the direct insight of the situation under study. (BARRETT, A. 2013. P9).

Again, the phenomenology perceptive is best for the study as it is conducted by way of the in-depth interview which is best in analyzing students or the youth in a situation where they feel marginalized or sidelined with the rest. It is the best way as it will help the researcher get primary information to his study. Again by use of interviews, it involves an open-ended questioning which in this case will provide the youths interviewed to present their ideologies and experiences out of their point of view. Since the study is based on racialization, stigmatization, and labeling, and that the research seeks to find out why the students are treated differently. The aspect of culture and traditions wouldn't matter in this case, and thus, phenomenology will be the best perspective to follow in this type of research. (LAN, J. 2015. P17).

The questionnaires to be used will be in recordings, and the students will be subjected to answering them individually out of their own experience and insight. The research question that will be used and their possible answers include the following:

• How do the youth with foreign backgrounds in social economically disadvantaged areas in Gothenburg look at their future and prospects?
• They look at a blurred future with no hope of success or being viewed as equal to the rest.
• Has their upbringing in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas any impact on their experiences and thoughts about the future?
• The youth have a negative perspective and experience on their future. They no longer believe that their life can change to the better as there is no one fighting for them.

Operationalization the research involved linking of the theoretical responses of the youths with the empirical indicators, which in this case was the questionnaires in recordings. Both information had to be relative to the research problems of the study. The validity of the operationalization process was found on the ground that there was not conflicting theory or perspective with the research findings. (ALEXANDER, K. L., ENTWISLE, D. R., & Olson, L. S. 2014. P16).

Some findings were extracted from the questionnaire process. The youth were willing to share their ideas and experiences according to the labeling, stigmatization, and racialization. They expressed their concern on the culture of the people of Sweden to sideline the people of color and those who were not born or raised there. The research findings were based on racialization which was most common around the cities of Sweden where the 'whites' viewed the others as minorities. The youths also expressed their fear and worry of their future if the same situation would continue. Since some of them were students there, they expressed their concern if the current system would be able to absorb them. Stigmatization was found to be an emotional feeling as it left some very expressed with nothing to do other than hate on the other.

Conclusion

Youth in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas face a very critical problem of being stigmatized, labeled as minors to the others and by racialization. These are real problems that some youth experience in such countries as Sweden. It is a situation that greatly threatens the youths' future lives. The youth require a common ground for education and advancement to prepare them for their future. Thus a system that undermines them because they come from different backgrounds is a hindrance to developing and building their future lives. It is a situation that requires thorough research for a better understanding of the possible reasons that could have led to such a situation.

References

ALEXANDER, K. L., ENTWISLE, D. R., & Olson, L. S. (2014). The long shadow: family background, disadvantaged urban youth, and the transition to adulthood. New York, Russell Sage Foundation. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=4003825.

BARRETT, A. (2013). RTI and Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Students.

BLANC, M., & FRECHETTE, M. (1989). Male Criminal Activity from Childhood Through Youth: Multilevel and Developmental Perspectives. New York, NY, Springer New York. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3570-5.

ELLIOTT-JOHNS, S. E., & JARVIS, D. H. (2014). Perspectives on Transitions in Schooling and Instructional Practice. Toronto, University of Toronto Press.

EVANS, P., & KRUGER, A. (2012). Youth and community empowerment in Europe. Bristol, Policy Press.

FRANCE, A., BOTTRELL, D., & ARMSTRONG, D. (2012). A Political Ecology of Youth and Crime.

LAN, J. (2015). Understanding street culture: poverty, crime, youth and cool.

ROSENFELD, R. (2013). Economics and youth violence: crime, disadvantage, and community. New York, New York University Press. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=1274383_0.