Research on Scouting
I am currently conducting a large research project studying how young people experience gender, sexual orientation, and citizenship in scouting, including the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA). Both organization's main mission is to raise future leaders and good citizens. But, we also know that in order to feel capable of being good citizens, youth must feel welcome and empowered. This research seeks to better understand how youth--especially marginalized youth--feel about inclusion and citizenship training in scouting. Some of the primary research questions are:
•How does a youth’s gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation inform their scouting experience and their opinions about citizenship?
•How are mixed-gender versus single-gender spaces experienced by youth? Do these different spaces send different messages about citizenship?
•How are trans and LGB youth included (or not) and what impact does that have on their ideas about citizenship?
•What resources/tools do leaders need? Do youth need?
I plan to publish this research in books and journal articles, but I will also be created some "Best Practices" documents that can be used by scouting groups to improve the experience of scouting for all people.