Aspirations Matter: A Conceptual Review for Youth Studies.
Authors
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Leandro Sepúlveda Valenzuela
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9173-7275
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Ismael Tabilo Prieto
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7501-5085
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Carolina Álvarez Valdés
Universidad Finis Terrae
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0402-5072
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Abstract
The article reviews different analytical perspectives on the study of youth aspirations. Through a review of specialized literature, we explore how aspirations are conceptualized and why they are crucial in understanding the contemporary experiences of young people. We identify three major theoretical perspectives: functionalist, structuralist, and culturalist. A shift is observed from more systemic, structural understandings of aspirations to orientations and practical judgments in everyday life. Elements such as future projections, social class, reflexivity, and agency stand out as key to understanding and defining what it is meant by “aspiration” and its relevance in the current context.
