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In this paper, we explore how Generation Alpha in a Swedish rural area intersects with global and local spaces. We delve into pupils’ perspectives on digital experiences in school and leisure, shedding light on their future aspirations. Following an ethnographic approach, this study aligns with the established research methods of the field. The empirical data, part of a broader ethnographic project, focuses on one research site. Through the perspectives of Massey and Bourdieu, the findings suggest that the pupils in this study deviate from the typical portrayal of Generation Alpha as they experience the interplay between their rural heritage and the influences of a globalised society. The pupils feel connected to digital subcultures and transform them into communicative content that they engage with, transcending the offerings in their rural community and thereby altering that actual place. However, when envisioning their own future lives, the socially and culturally inherited history of the local economy and politics appears to influence their views in certain directions. The discussion of educational challenges considers both the local and global encounters of pupils, notably reflected in their digital experiences during leisure.
Kjellsdotter et al. (Fri,) studied this question.