The (Un)Senses of School in the Youth Justice

Abstract

From a socio-anthropological, intersectional, and feminist perspective, this article analyzes the meanings that secondary schooling takes on for young males with alternative penal measures in a county of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Based on the analysis of ethnographic records, the article examines the role of the school within the architecture of needs proposed by the State for vulnerable youth in conflict with the law. The article points out that, for the actors within the Youth Justice, the school holds a central position. However, this relevance is questioned by the young individuals themselves, who bring forth multiple meanings based on their biographies and relationships with the educational system.