THE FIGURED WORLDS OF MEXICAN TEENS IN KENTUCKY: IDENTITY AND EDUCATIONAL DECISION MAKING

This ethnographic study explores the lives of Mexican-origin teenagers living in Lexington, Kentucky, to understand what   drives their educational choices. Why are so many   of them not attending school? What are they are   doing instead? What do they need to make it   possible or desirable to attend school? Latinos graduate from high school in lower numbers than any other ethnic group both nationally and in Kentucky. As this population grows, it is imperative that this phenomenon be understood and addressed.   White used intensive participation and   observation in the rapidly growing Mexican community in Lexington over fourteen months and found that the factors affecting educational decisions were complexly interwoven. Those factors included cultural and structural components, but this researcher argues it is more fruitful to understand the choices young people make as being rooted in their identities. She uses figured   world theory to understand the relationships between identity, agency, and education-related decision - making.