Adolescence, Pandemic, and Social Exclusion: Theoretical Perspectives and Challenges from a Global South Perspective

Abstract

This paper discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has unevenly affected adolescents’ lives and how it has accentuated/stressed asymmetries and social barriers existing in the pre-pandemic world. We criticize biological, naturalistic, and essentialist perspectives that suggest the universality of adolescents’ psychosocial processes. Furthermore, we present arguments and suggestions for further studies to be conducted with adolescents who experience historical processes of exclusion, enhancing international understanding of their social and psychological needs. This manuscript contributes to the critical understanding of the variability of pandemic impacts on adolescents’ lives, encouraging researchers to carry out innovative investigations from a theoretical and methodological point of view.