Los adolescentes en situación de exclusión social: conflictos entre la norma y el deseo

Abstract

This study analyses the discourse of a group of adolescents in a situation of social exclusion. The speech analysed was extracted by means of a qualitative design using the discussion group technique. Discourse analysis highlighted the identity categories the adolescents use to define themselves vis-à-vis adult society. The results show that the main discourse dichotomy that emerges comes from the opposition between norm and desire. The study's main contribution is its discussion of the key dimension of identity, of vital importance in a population undergoing transition. The study also addresses group identity, calling for greater attention to the differences in the constitution of these identities via a consideration of group membership and the social conditions in which these adolescents evolve, though they do not constitute abstract or ahistorical typologies.