Contribution short abstract:

Building on young adult's experiences of crises and how they understand the concept of crisis, this contribution elaborates on methodological and epistemological issues. The innovative potential in the study lies in a combination of co-participatory and co-creative ethnography.

Contribution long abstract:

After the COVID-19 crisis, we are now living in a post pandemic time and for some people the social isolation and studying/working from home feels distant. Since few young people have become seriously ill from COVID-19, numerous scholars have reported that the pandemic have primarily affected the mental health of youth. Sarkadi et al. (2021) reported that Swedish adolescents' worries about the future included missing out on their youth and employment. They also worried about the future of democracy and the world economy. Thus, it is problematic to isolate understandings of the pandemic to a single crisis. Starting from a broad perspective on youth's experiences and how they understand the concept of crisis. In what sense has the pandemic and perhaps other ongoing societal crises, as the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine, had effects on young adult's confidence in the future and their imaginations of a predictable life? However, methodological choices and researchers approaches are not neutral processes. In general, researching young people's experiences needs to take into account and challenge the structures of power in research. The innovative potential in the study lies therefore in the combination of co-participatory/co-creative ethnography. In order to enhance participation and encourage dialogue, the study will begin with establishing a co-working group of youth in order to develop an iterative methodology. This methodology includes: Workshops with key participants to ensure that topics and themes will be grounded in their lived experiences and collaboration with youth in the methodological and pedagogical process.