Sammendrag
This study examines how children and youth experience civic engagement within the Norwegian context. It seeks to understand how civic engagement is understood by the participants, and what facilitates and challenges their participation. By doing so, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing debate about children ́s participation as a process of being or/and becoming. Grounded within Childhood studies, children are recognized as social actors and childhood is seen as socially constructed. Thus, taking into account how civic engagement is constructed by children and for children. Qualitative and multi-method data collection is used to create a systematic research process. This has resulted in conducting individual interviews and the creation of a ́research bag ́. The research bag consists of a variety of visual activities, giving the participants the opportunity to reflect on their civic engagement in an explorative and meaningful way. A total of five participants ranging from 12 to 18 years old, from different geographical areas in Norway, have participated within this research. Their engagement varies from taking individual action to being a member in a youth organization.
This research reveals the uniqueness of the participant ́s civic engagement. Civic engagement is situational and responsive to current discourses, and therefore in need to be researched continuously. Children and youth practice their citizenship inside, but also outside adult-frameworks which are often neglected and not acknowledged as acts of citizenship. Furthermore, children ́s social life has been impacted both positively and negatively during their civic engagement. Whilst civic engagement can enhance social support, it can also reduce it. In line with previous research on children ́s participation, this research reveals how children ́s civic engagement has been met with two conflicting signals. Children are met with both praise and critique when being civically engaged positioning them in an ambiguous area where the right to participation is sometimes not fully enjoyed.