Social belonging and the social collective: Understanding how processes shape youth markets

Abstract

Adopting a relative perspective on poverty, this paper reflects on the social and psychological aspects of market access in a context of abundance. We consider the recent introduction of a consumption related adolescent youth ritual and the implications this has for those who are financially disadvantaged and their ability to negotiate and navigate the market. Using dimensions of market practice as a lens, we reveal a system that resists reduction to individual actors and demonstrate how and in what ways the social collective facilitates social belonging as well as promoting higher level educational goals. This has important consequences for our understanding of meaningful social practice as well as realizing what is being shaped through market practices.