Life-worlds and aspirational selves of youths in contemporary Africa: A school-based ethnography in Maputo Province.

Abstract (English)

By the mid-21st century, it is projected that 40% of the world’s children and adolescents will be African, leading to increased scholarly attention on Africa’s demographic potential and its implications for global socio-economic patterns. Mozambique, located on the southeast coast of Africa, typifies this trend, with approximately 17 million people under the age of 17. Despite the Mozambican government’s emphasis on education as a pillar for national development, the integration of the up-and-coming generation into the country’s productive economy remains a challenge, with few formal work opportunities available, showing a significant gap between policy and reality.
Through a long-term fully immersive ethnographic investigation on students in their final year of schooling in a village in Maputo Province, this research looks beyond the classroom, to consider the broader material and socio-cultural influences shaping youth aspirations and personal development. It also engages with debates on education policy and infrastructure, offering a nuanced perspective on the lived experiences of students in a rapidly changing socio-economic landscape. By foregrounding youth agency in navigating educational and religious influences, this research highlights the ways in which young Mozambicans actively shape their futures within broader structural constraints.