Young people's imaginaries on politics: Alto Bonito Rural Settlement- Manizales, Colombia/Imaginarios de gente joven sobre la politica: Vereda Alto Bonito-Manizales, Colombia/Imaginarios da gente jovem sobre a politica: Povoado Alto Bonito-Manizales, Colombia

• Published in: Revista latinoamericana de ciencias sociales, niñez y juventud Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 393 - 422
• Main Authors: Ospina, Cristian David Soto, Jaramillo, Johanna Vasquez, Loaiza, Yudi Bibiana Cardona
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Centro Internacional de Education y Desarrollo Humano (Cinde) y Universidad de Caldas 01.01.2009
• Subjects: Political activity; Political aspects; Teenagers; Youth
• ISSN: 1692-715X; 2027-7679

Politics transversalizes the way how the daily practices of human beings are founded and displayed in the various social, institutional, community and familial contexts. In this article we aim at evidencing some research results that become an opportunity to recognize the meanings given by male and female youths to politics, and to show how they impact the way youths relate and behave both at home and at school. We propose to generate new reflections to understand the link of such a population to some processes that require both settings, and to recognize that becoming involved or being indifferent, are ways of both political expression and a life exercise. It is also worth noting that reproducing the imaginary constructed on politics becomes evident in the male and female youths' actions, and that their acting in politics has a relation with or is coherent with what has been considered as government action, where non-kept promises, fraud, the search for and power exercise, as well as orders; however, the change is found in discourses, scenarios and characters. Nevertheless, some youths relate politics to a way of living or to a transversal matter of daily actions, thus considering that each act performed is a political exercise, as it involves interests, initiatives and the search for coexistence. It is the way for youths to reflect about the meanings of some fundamental elements in their lives.