Our theoretical frame
Our theoretical frame
The authors set out their own distinctive analytical frame that combines elements of critical theory, psychosocial criminology and applied existential philosophy to produce a practical conceptual basis for work with the young people that youth workers will encounter on a daily basis. This involves the authors seeking to augment the existing youth work ‘canon’ with some key concepts from criminological thought, primarily around the study of desistance and masculinities. The authors seek to locate the criminological subject within a social context, whilst taking psychodynamic ideas of the “defended self” seriously, and existential philosophy which serves to foreground notions of self, choice and meaning within considerations of violent behaviour and desistance. These are then linked to what the authors see as 4 possible levels of meaningful response: personal/psychological, community/cultural, structural/symbolic and existential.
Keywords: youth work, critical theory, psychosocial, existentialism pleasure, defended self
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