Constructing counter-identities : cultural hybridity and transnationality in spoken word poetry

This case study examines a spoken word poetry curriculum, two spoken word\ud poets and teachers, and selected samples of youth poetry. The purpose of this study is to\ud investigate how spoken word poetry creates a ???third-space??? to allow youth to navigate,\ud negotiate, and express marginalized, and hybrid identities and how spoken word may\ud impact traditional literacy development. The findings of this study suggest that the\ud hybrid, open nature of spoken word effectively allows youth to explore and (re)claim\ud marginalized cultural, linguistic, gender, and hybrid identities. Implications for classroom\ud literacy educators are also explored. There is a need for more evaluation of spoken word\ud and how it relates to literacy development and postcolonial concepts such as cultural\ud hybridity and transnationality, but this research suggests spoken word can be a tool for\ud both expressions of cultural hybridity and increasing traditional literacy skills