Young people’s resistance within and against unjust systems: The possibilities and challenges of participatory action research-enabled social innovation and social entrepreneurship

Abstract

This article establishes a dialogue between the fields of participatory action research, social innovation and social entrepreneurship, by presenting learning from two projects with young people in Colombia and critically situating it within intersectional, intergenerational and international power relations. We suggest that social innovation and social entrepreneurship should be considered as avenues to change and transformation as possible outcomes of participatory action projects. Participatory action research-enabled social innovation and entrepreneurship can provide opportunities for young people to succeed within a market logic whilst also resisting against its exploitative economic models that fail to serve these young people and their communities.