WP347 Student voice, agency and active citizenship: Insights from a participatory action research in a Greek-Cypriot school

This article explores “student voice” as an action-oriented concept, emphasizing its role in promoting active citizenship. Drawing on a nine- month  participatory action research with an ethnographic perspective conducted in a secondary school in the Republic of Cyprus, it investigated how students themselves understood voice and their role and agency within school and society. Students participated as co-researchers exploring ways of developing their voice and agency, and co-designed the intervention which was based on critical literacy and media literacy. Data analysis revealed that students primarily discussed voice in relation to silencing due to unequal power relations, and identified inequalities and hierarchies that privileged some voices while marginalizing others. Nevertheless, students showed a strong desire to be heard, using various semiotic methods to express themselves. The article concludes by exploring the implications of student voice for agency and active citizenship discussing also the complexity of the concept and the factors encouraging or limiting it.