"I Want to Keep Fighting for my Education": Stories of Temporary Dropout in Urban Honduras

Only about one-fourth of Honduran youth graduate from high school, a very low number even as compared to the regional average in Latin America (about 50%). Research on high school dropout typically focuses on the moment of dropout, framing this decision as a permanent withdrawal from schooling. However, this thesis demonstrates how dominant constructs for understanding dropout fall short of accounting for the lived experiences of many young people in Honduras. By analyzing ten students' experiences of "temporary dropout," this thesis explores the phenomenon in which working-class students drop out and return to school during adolescence, in response to factors of structural violence in Honduras. Ideologies for life success and social mobility, which students use to contextualize their experiences, are also discussed. Through an analysis of students' narratives, I illustrate how understanding temporary dropout is essential in order to improve educational outcomes in Honduras.