Youth dis/comforts in everyday spaces: an intersectional and mixed methods approach in Catalonia

Abstract

Intersectional perspectives on the configuration and effects of discrimination and inequality on youth are currently a growing focus of research. Here we present a study on the spatialities of perceived discrimination among 88 young people (aged 14–16 years old) in Catalonia through a methodological approach that combines and integrates quantitative and qualitative data on intersectional dynamics. By analysing the dis/comforts caused by diverse axes of inequality, we show how discrimination and inequality on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, origin, religion, nationality and physical appearance are experienced differently at home, at secondary school, on social networks and in public spaces depending on the youths’ social positions and their interrelations. By doing so, we contribute to debates on the role of place in intersectional inequalities in youth research, showing the complexity of intersectional dynamics and how they are contingent on specific contexts.