Lens and Theoretical Framework

My topic is huge. The identity of Berlin’s youth is too big for me to research: in four weeks, I could get a great breadth of information but not much depth. In my time here, I have observed much (which I will blog about separately). These observations make me want to narrow my focus so that I can see a concrete way to get an appropriate lateral and vertical complexity.

I know that the wall, in the context of Berlin, has been done and redone, but I see it everywhere in my research and in this city.

Julie’s initial guidance included the creation of a theoretical framework, which included the lens through which I choose to view and research Berlin’s youth.
I choose to define identity as the meta-identity, yet I choose to view youth identity with respect to walls.
• The Wall and how youth today react to it
• wall between youth and the older generation: how are lives different because youth do not directly know life under the wall
• wall between youth in different socioeconomic classes (Gymnasium, Realschule, Hauptschule)
• internal wall due to imposed identity – for example, multiple allegiances
• wall between youth due to religious/ethnic differences

The two questions that I want to answer:
⇨ Do these walls exist and to what extent?
⇨ How do youth deal with the walls or their absence (the effects)?