More Just Rural Geographies: Understanding How Class Structures Impact Youth

Keywords: rural youth, social spaces, socioeconomic divide, place making
Abstract Type: Virtual Paper Abstract

Abstract

Prior research on rural youth focuses on health access and educational attainment, but topics of rural teenage socio-spatial negotiations and the impacts of rural class structuring remain unexplored. To fill this gap, this paper examines rural teens in Northern Vermont and inspects how families’ socioeconomic statuses shape youth social dynamics. The analysis emphasizes participants’ stories, perspectives, and experiences through a three-pronged approach: a survey, individual interviews, and photovoice analysis. Findings suggest that each young person experiences rurality differently. Still, factors such as a young person’s social identity, class, race, gender, and sexual orientation can impact their well-being and shape how they view their community and the greater world. This research concluded that small, tight-knit rural communities create an amplified, yet simplified, class structure, meaning young peoples’ identity, reputation, and social group is closely tied to their family’s income level. Individuals’ reputations directly relate to social satisfaction and peer grouping both inside and outside of school. This trend can lead to feelings of marginalization, exclusion, and oppression amongst working-class rural young people. Further research is needed to provide a more robust understanding of rural socio-economic dynamics and their impacts on youth.