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Situated speculation: A cross-case analysis of youths' processes of composing civic futures.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Situated speculation: A cross-case analysis of youths' processes of composing civic futures.
Authors:	Corbitt, Alex¹ (AUTHOR) alexander.corbitt@cortland.edu, Thakurta, Ankhi G.² (AUTHOR)
Source:	Journal of Curriculum & Pedagogy. Jun2026, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p465-490. 26p.
Subject Terms:	Situated learning theory, Civics education, Digital learning, Collaborative learning, Comparative studies, Community involvement, *Student engagement, Political participation
Abstract:	This article presents a cross-case analysis of youths' processes of composing civic futures. Our data was generated across two research sites—an out-of-school critical civic inquiry community of urban Indonesian American girls, and an online role-playing game community of white, suburban boys. Curious to trace how collaborative practices of civic meaning-making and dreaming were informed by youths' situated contexts and knowledge, we ask: How did adolescent youths in two virtual civic learning communities draw on their situated knowledge(s) to engage in speculative civic learning and dreaming? To answer this research question, we first review literature on speculative civics education. Then, we think with concepts of situated learning, situated knowledge, and subcreation to make sense of our study participants' speculative processes. Our findings demonstrate how group interaction and an array of proximal and distal knowledge(s) shaped youths' speculative renderings of more just civic life. Overeall, our discussion outlines how speculation is a doubly-situated practice that is mediated by an array of environmental and epistemic processes. Implications for this article call for more research on how learning environments shape speculation—particularly in ways that hold space for young people to dream across difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	This article presents a cross-case analysis of youths' processes of composing civic futures. Our data was generated across two research sites—an out-of-school critical civic inquiry community of urban Indonesian American girls, and an online role-playing game community of white, suburban boys. Curious to trace how collaborative practices of civic meaning-making and dreaming were informed by youths' situated contexts and knowledge, we ask: How did adolescent youths in two virtual civic learning communities draw on their situated knowledge(s) to engage in speculative civic learning and dreaming? To answer this research question, we first review literature on speculative civics education. Then, we think with concepts of situated learning, situated knowledge, and subcreation to make sense of our study participants' speculative processes. Our findings demonstrate how group interaction and an array of proximal and distal knowledge(s) shaped youths' speculative renderings of more just civic life. Overeall, our discussion outlines how speculation is a doubly-situated practice that is mediated by an array of environmental and epistemic processes. Implications for this article call for more research on how learning environments shape speculation—particularly in ways that hold space for young people to dream across difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	15505170
DOI:	10.1080/15505170.2025.2535358