Youth Politics Research Articles

Reckless subjects, future capital? ‘Youth’ as an object of concern in international health organizations’ discourse

ABSTRACT Contemporary international organizations (IOs) are routinely portrayed as being more accessible to a wide variety of actors than ever before. The recent hyper-institutionalization of youth in international politics testifies to this pluralization, at least quantitatively. This paper traces the historical emergence of youth as an object of concern among health IOs. Covering a period of over 50 years, we analyse semantic fields surrounding youth and find that young people have primarily been portrayed as society’s future capital in development discourses or as a risk-prone group in the context of HIV/AIDS and reproductive health. Only since the beginning of the 21st century can we trace portrayals of youth that emphasize rights, inclusion and engagement in global health. Our study addresses an empirical research gap on youth in global health and prompts us to critically re-evaluate the optimistic liberal assessments that have marked International Relations (IR) theories on the ‘opening-up’ of IOs.

Mobilising youth for elections: electoral inclusion of youth in Turkey under competitive authoritarianism

Scholars have paid scant attention to how state–society relations are shaped in contexts where democratic and authoritarian institutions co-exist under new forms of authoritarianism. Furthermore, the realm of youth citizenship in such regimes is a nascent area warranting deeper exploration. This study draws on the case of Turkey to address these gaps by investigating why political parties, which previously marginalised young voters, have fervently mobilised youth during elections that paradoxically coincided with the process of autocratisation. We employ a content analysis of party programmes, election manifestos, and social media campaign content of major political parties, as well as secondary sources on Turkish and youth politics spanning from 1983 to 2023, to address this puzzle. Our analysis unveils three key findings. Firstly, transformative events such as the Gezi Park Protests and digital activism have invigorated youth political involvement, compelling both government and opposition parties to prioritise youth electoral engagement. Secondly, the shift from a parliamentary to a presidential system has heightened political parties’ focus on securing the youth vote to win elections. Lastly, political parties strive to align youth political values with their own ideologies, and the process of election campaigning provides ample opportunities for such a goal.

Political leadership and campaign strategies in determining youth behavior towards political participation

The present research aimed to further investigate and understand youth behavior in political participation, specifically examining the factors contributing to Malaysian youth's political engagement. Several factors were identified as influential in this context. The research framework was developed based on scientific papers and publications to describe these factors. A qualitative approach was employed, involving 10 focus group interviews with members from 10 youth associations. The analysis revealed key themes such as leadership and campaign strategies that shape youth perceptions and behaviors in political participation. These findings validate the research propositions regarding the factors influencing Malaysian youth's political involvement. In addition to contributing to the literature on youth political behavior, this paper reinvigorates youth expectations and provides an in-depth understanding of current Malaysian youth political participation.

Development of the State Support for Youth Political Leadership: Current Challenges and Prospects

Development of the State Support for Youth Political Leadership: Current Challenges and Prospects

Critical Consciousness and Youth Political Activism

Like previous generations, today's youth are engaging in political activism to positively transform their local communities and the broader society. This review applies critical consciousness theory to shed light on the factors that spur youth political activism and to highlight how developing critical consciousness engenders developmental benefits. Critical consciousness refers to structural and historical reasoning about inequality, motivation to promote social change, and political activism to bring about social equity. A succinct review of outcomes associated with critical consciousness is presented first, followed by a nuanced contemporary understanding of the precursors to youth critical consciousness development. In closing, this review highlights exciting emerging directions in this area of research and offers reflections on the trajectory of critical consciousness scholarship. All told, critical consciousness research illuminates a strength-based approach for supporting youth's healthy development that adequately attends to the psychological, historical, and structural facets of youth experience.

Spaces of youth politics and the Arab uprisings: environmental activism and the Algerian Hirak

ABSTRACT The two waves of uprisings in the Arab world in 2011, then 2019, have brought profound changes. In the second wave, including Iraq, Lebanon and Sudan, the Algerian hirak of 2019 constituted a massive political and social movement, bringing a new president and government, and affecting the popular consciousness that change was now possible. While participation in formal politics remains low, new spaces of participation have emerged. Environmental activism in the public space, as well as deeper challenges to extractivist development ideology, have inspired new practices of youth politics. From the disruption of the hirak to subsequent active citizenship, Algerians have proposed alternative development models. Drawing on findings from a participatory research project working with a network of Algerian youth researchers, and interviews with Algerian young people, associations and entrepreneurs, it is argued that the practices of the hirak have consolidated and amplified the everyday activism of Algerian civil society. Organizing environmental protests and action, Algerian youth have created new political spaces and inspired deeper reflections about the future of their country. These findings offer new insights into the longer term impacts of the Arab uprisings and of environmental activism, on spaces of youth political participation.

Charter–manifesto congruence as a signal for issue salience: democratic innovations within political parties in Hungary

ABSTRACT This article proposes a proxy for issue salience via studying congruence between parties’ organizational structure and the policies they promote to their voters. This charter-manifesto congruence, i.e. institutionalizing the same democratic innovations at the intra-party level and advocating for their adoption at the national level, is particularly useful to demarcate party profiles in dominant party systems and electoral autocracies. To demonstrate how such congruence can be measured, we analyse the credibility of the commitments made by opposition parties in Hungary to a variety of democratic innovations. Drawing on novel survey data, we further substantiate our argument by showing high support for these innovations among party members and voters. The analysis identifies gender quotas as the most congruent innovation. Our longitudinal research design also reveals a recent breakthrough of e-democracy in party manifestos. We then discuss how preferences for various innovations are potentially shaped by membership size, party founders’ political socialization or organizational learning. At the normative level, the analysis suggests that some forms of democratic innovations are better suited for intra-party organizations than for party manifestos. These implications might be relevant for those committed to promoting deliberation, gender equality and (re-)engagement of the youth in politics.

Perception of the Course by the Students of Moscow Universities «Fundamentals of Russian Statehood (based on the results of in-depth research)

The article presents data on the study of the perception of the Moscow university students of the course "Fundamentals of Russian Statehood". To obtain data on the perception of the course "Fundamentals of Russian Statehood" by the student youth, the author conducted a sociological study using the method of individual in-depth interviews (30 first-year students of Moscow universities who are teaching this discipline). In the course of the study, the theoretical and methodological basis was studied, affecting the issue of perception by modern youth of certain development trends and problems of society. The study is an important stage in the study of the influence of the new course "Fundamentals of Russian Statehood" on the formation of the worldview of students. The article analyzes the attitude of young people to youth politics in Russia today, to the course "Fundamentals of Russian Statehood" and its influence on the formation of awareness of belonging to Russian society, the development of a sense of citizenship, as well as on the creation of a spiritual, moral and cultural foundation of a developed and integral personality who realized the peculiarities of the historical path of our state and the identity of its political organization. The results of the study show that the perception of the course "Fundamentals of Russian Statehood" depends on various factors, in particular on the individual preferences and expectations of students. The new course is not only an educational program, but also a tool of social impact aimed at the formation of patriotic consciousness and civic responsibility among the younger generation. The results of the study supplement the accumulated knowledge by obtaining up-to-date data on the perception of the student youth of Moscow universities of the course "Fundamentals of Russian Statehood", clarify various aspects of the content of this course, which in the future will help other authors in the study of the topic.

Political Reform in Jordan (2011- 2022) Positioning Youth Political Participation in Large Power Distance National Culture

The engagement of youth in the formal political process is essential not only in building stable and peaceful societies but also in developing policies that respond to the specific needs of younger generations. This study aims to model the impact of the large power distance dimension of culture in developing youth political participation in Jordan. The study will also compare the efforts of Jordan in promoting political participation among youth in 2011 and 2021 as part of political reform strategies. It also provides potential solutions that will lead the way to a more inclusive national culture. The study utilized the power distance index of Hofstede's cultural dimension. The result of the study revealed that the Jordanian culture is dynamic, and as such may witness a level of transformation, while keeping the power vertical, through the active involvement and engagement of youth in the political process and decision-making through unconventional participation. Thus, creating both committees clarifies the placement of youth in political participation in large power distance natural culture, where the gap is wider than expected. It was recommended that youth should take bold steps in establishing promising networks in their field of expertise, social circle, and beyond. They should eliminate barriers to engagement in political participation including the creation of parties that are based on ideologies and aspirations.

Place and Youth Political Action: How Place Shapes Political Action in Rural Sweden

There are important gaps in the research on youth political action due to a lack of attention to the roles of place and the experiences of young people in rural places. To address these gaps, this article presents findings from intensive interviews with 15 young people (aged between 16 and 29 years) who identified as politically/socially engaged and lived or had recently lived in a rural place in Sweden. Analysis of their responses, based on constructivist-grounded theory, shows that place dimensions shaped three social processes of young people’s political action: engaging in politics in (rural) places, finding recognition as political actors in (rural) places and negotiating political belonging in relation to (urban) places. By linking these processes with Agnew’s three-dimensional understanding of place, the analysis provides novel insights into how various dimensions of place shape crucial social processes of youth political action.

Youth Political Participation and Party Politics during the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

The waning of young participation in politics has made the involvement of Nigerian youth in politics a contentious issue since the country's return to democracy on May 29, 1999. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the level of youth participation at the party level during 2023 general elections in Nigeria. This study used secondary data such as textbooks, Journal articles and online sources while content analysis was used to analyse the data collected. Moreover, this study is situated within the “Sleeping Dog Theory”. The study argues that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded the highest number of youth participation at the party level during the 2023 general elections. Other parties in order of increased youth participation include Action Democratic Party, New Nigeria's People Party (NNPP), Socialist Democratic Party (SDP), Action Alliance (AA) and Labour Party among others. However, Labour Party occupied sixth position, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) thirteen positions while the All Progressive Congress (APC) fifteen positions. This shows that the three dominant Political parties during the 2023 general elections namely Labour Party, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) were not among the leading political parties that encouraged youth participation at the party level during the 2023 general elections. On the whole, this study recommends among other things that Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC) which is the umbrella body for Political parties in Nigeria should work closely with the various political party leadership on ways to increase youth participation at the party level like the reduction of the party nomination/interest form.
 
 Received: 10 October 2023 / Accepted: 28 December 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

Eugenic Continuities: Youth, Sex, Disability, and the Rise of Liberal Eugenics in the Late Twentieth Century

Abstract: This article places the landmark 1986 Supreme Court of Canada decision E. (Mrs.) v. Eve within its avowedly anti-eugenic context. Then it compares the trial record and appellate documents of Eve to the notorious 1927 American case Buck v. Bell . It outlines the legal reasoning of the Eve decision, its reception, and the different trajectories of law in the US, the UK, and Australia. These multiple points of historical comparison expose a series of unresolved eugenic continuities in the politics of youth, sex, and disability. The interpretation challenges more conventional definitions, periodization, and understandings of eugenics, drawing attention to the formation of "liberal" eugenics in the late twentieth century.

Assessing Peers as A Predictor on Youth Political Behaviour in Enhancing Malaysian Political Stability

Assessing Peers as A Predictor on Youth Political Behaviour in Enhancing Malaysian Political Stability

Undergraduate Students’ Perception of Social Media and Youth Political Participation in Nigeria's 2023 General Elections

Thanks to the platforms made available by social media, which has now become a fully integrated part of almost every aspect of our daily lives, politics and political participation have been redefined. These platforms are strong enough to do and undo as they elevate communication above the constraints of traditional media. While the youths make up the sect that uses social media the most, there is reason to study whether or not these platforms help promote political participation among them, particularly the youths of Nigeria during the 2023 General Elections. In this context, the researcher analysed the perception of undergraduate students of Edo State University Uzairue of social media and the promotion of political participation in youths during the 2023 General Elections. The study used a survey and sampled 341 undergraduate students of Edo State University, Uzairue. The data collected was analysed using tables and percentages. The study indicated that undergraduate students of Edo State University Uzairue are frequent social media users and conversant with political participation. It was also revealed that WhatsApp is the most used social media platform for getting political information and participation. A number of the sampled students were involved during the elections, thanks to the social media platform. They acknowledged social media's importance in promoting and motivating political participation among youths despite the number of issues to be tackled.

Impact of Campaign Regulations on Electoral Freedom

This research scrutinizes Constitutional Court Decision No. 65/PUU-XXI/2023, focusing on the intersection of campaign regulations and the fundamental right to electoral choice in a democratic society. Using a normative legal research methodology, the study delves into the legal concepts, principles, and norms governing electoral campaigns, particularly regarding their conduct in educational institutions and government facilities. This approach is both descriptive and normative, relying on existing legislation, court decisions, and supplementary academic sources to construct a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The research identifies a lack of clarity in current regulations about campaigning in educational spaces, as highlighted by the absence of specific legal guidelines in this area. The analysis of the Constitutional Court's decision and related electoral laws, including Article 280 of the 2017 General Election Law, reveals a need for more precise legal provisions to regulate campaign mechanisms and concepts effectively. The findings suggest that while existing laws aim to uphold citizens' political rights to free choice, they lack detailed implementation strategies, particularly concerning youth engagement in political processes. The study advocates for policymakers and government officials to develop legal frameworks that extend campaign outreach not only to the non-educational population but also to young voters, fostering their involvement and understanding of political contests. This would contribute to the national goal of informed and active citizenship.Highlights:
 
 Ambiguity in Campaign Regulations: The study highlights the lack of clear guidelines for conducting electoral campaigns in educational settings.
 Constitutional Court's Influence: Examines the impact of Decision No. 65/PUU-XXI/2023 on the balance between free political choice and regulated campaigning.
 Youth Political Involvement: Emphasizes the need for legal reforms to enhance the political engagement and education of young voters.
 
 Keywords: Electoral Campaign Regulation, Constitutional Court Decision, Political Rights, Youth Engagement, Legal Framework

SHAPING INTERFAITH PERSPECTIVES: AN ANALYSIS OF INDONESIAN YOUTH VIEWS ON TRUST, SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND POLITICAL INCLINATIONS ACROSS SECONDARY SCHOOL

The objective of this research is to analyze the viewpoints of young Indonesians during their adolescence and adulthood about trust between different religions, social interaction, and political inclinations. Specifically, it emphasizes how the duration of secondary school education might shape their viewpoints. This study used ordinal logistic regression analysis to examine panel data collected from the Indonesian Family Life Survey, which comprises a sample size of over 20,000 respondents. The findings indicate a decrease in the standard of individuals' interfaith conduct between 2007 and 2014. The research indicates that those who finished secondary school during the New Order era exhibit higher levels of tolerance towards interfaith ideas in comparison to those who completed secondary school during the Reformation era. The disparity might be attributed to the policies of the New Order administration, which prioritized national cohesion and stability while actively opposing religious "extremism". The research findings indicate that those who finished secondary school during the post-New Order era have a heightened inclination towards interfaith political socialization and preferences. The results of this study hold significant relevance in the current climate of growing intolerance and religious division, particularly with regards to the determinants of interfaith attitudes and behavior, as well as the role of education in fostering ideals of tolerance. Hence, this study underscores the necessity for additional longitudinal and comparative research on interfaith community interactions, including a broader spectrum of age cohorts and geographical areas.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengulas perspektif generasi muda Indonesia pada usia remaja dan dewasa pada kepercayaan (trust), sosialisasi, dan preferensi politik lintas agama. Secara khusus, penelitian ini menyoroti bagaimana masa pendidikan sekolah menengah dapat memengaruhi perspektif mereka. Melalui analisis regresi logistik ordinal, penelitian ini menganalisis data panel yang diperoleh dari Survei Kehidupan Keluarga Indonesia, yang mencakup lebih dari 20.000 responden. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya penurunan kualitas perilaku lintas agama masyarakat pada tahun 2007 hingga 2014. Data penelitian ini memperlihatkan bagaimana generasi muda yang menyelesaikan sekolah menengah pertama pada masa Orde Baru menunjukkan penerimaan yang lebih besar terhadap kepercayaan lintas agama dibandingkan dengan mereka yang menempuh pendidikan sekolah menengah di masa Reformasi. Perbedaan ini mungkin disebabkan oleh kebijakan rezim Orde Baru yang menitikberatkan pada pentingnya persatuan dan stabilitas nasional serta cenderung menentang 'ekstremisme' agama. Penelitian ini juga menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar masyarakat yang menyelesaikan pendidikan SLTP/SLTA pasca Orde Baru menunjukkan kecenderungan yang lebih besar dalam aspek sosialisasi dan preferensi politik lintas agama. Temuan penelitian ini juga sangat penting dalam konteks meningkatnya intoleransi dan polarisasi agama saat ini, terutama terkait faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi sikap dan perilaku antarumat beragama dan pentingnya pendidikan dalam mempromosikan nilai-nilai toleransi. Oleh karenanya, penelitian ini menekankan perlunya kajian longitudinal dan komparatif lanjutan tentang hubungan masyarakat lintas agama yang mencakup rentang kelompok usia dan wilayah yang lebih luas.

Youth worldlessness and civic participation online and at school: Exploring Arendt’s philosophy

ABSTRACT This paper seeks to explore the possible contribution that thinking with Arendt can bring to understanding the nuances of school-aged young people’s civic participation. Using Arendt’s work on responsibility, political presence and the notion of worldlessness, this paper will explore how young people’s social media interactions can serve as a way to foster a more critical sense of civic participation and political agency in education. This paper comprises three main sections. Firstly, there is a critical discussion on how the notion of ‘public sphere’ may help to conceptualise school as an important site for youth political and civic participation and engagement, even when Arendt’s position in education is that the school should not be touched by politics, in this way the paper uses Arendt to think against Arendt to position the school as a ‘space of appearance’. Secondly, the notion of what I term in this paper youth worldlessness is developed by using Arendt’s (2018) theory to frame for understanding the everyday exclusions and displacements experienced by research participants and how citizenship education struggles to serve as an outlet for them. Thirdly, the paper analyses the role of young people’s social media engagements by examining data from a qualitative study with British young people, ranging from 15 to 18 years of age.

Echoes of Transformation: Moroccan Youth's Political Voices in Ultras and Rap Music

This article delves into the emergence of Moroccan youth as a significant social agent, a transformation that has unfolded in the wake of decades of patriarchal influence. The onset of the twenty-first century heralded an era characterized by the diminishing impact of political parties and a gradual erosion of the extended family's traditional role. This study aims to scrutinize the profound impact of this societal shift on Moroccan youth, who have exhibited a fervent desire to forge their unique mode of self-expression, thus liberating themselves from the constraints imposed by longstanding social institutions and values. To comprehensively investigate the development of Moroccan youth's visibility and their endeavors to challenge conventional institutions, this research predominantly employs qualitative research methods. Particularly, discourse and content analysis are applied to unearth the nuanced dynamics underpinning the transformation. The multifaceted examination encapsulates the diversification of youth subcultures, fueled by a fusion of globalizing influences and local dynamics, thereby presenting an alternative outlook on Morocco's evolving sociocultural landscape. The primary findings of this research underscore Moroccan youth's adeptness at responding to sociopolitical transformations. They have harnessed alternative channels for articulating their unique perspectives on reality. These avenues encompass public protests, rap music, and participation in Ultras activities, all of which serve as potent tools for expressing dissent and challenging established norms. This proactive response underscores the agency and active engagement of Moroccan youth with pressing social and political issues. Contrary to prevailing perceptions of apathy and disengagement, they have emerged as key proponents of change, effectively navigating the complex terrain of societal transformation and challenging entrenched norms and power structures.

Surabaya Youth Political Discourse in in the Dynamics of Election Information

Youth have become the main agents of change and are usually the most affected by changes in the socio-political context in Indonesia. The very large youth population in Indonesia signifies a great asset for socio-political transformation in the democratic space. Specifically, this study examines youth political discourse in the changes and dynamics of the 2024 General Election. This study aims to identify linguistic expressions of public practice within the scope of youth political culture in Surabaya. Exploration of the relationship between different sets of influences and different types of political activism seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the reasons why young people choose certain paths of political participation regarding the 2024 election. Focus group discussion methods and in-depth interviews are considered most appropriate on the basis of the advantage is in gaining in-depth insights into the respondents' experiences regarding their understanding and conception of the 2024 election. Then a discourse analysis is carried out by comparing the knowledge from general cultural knowledge shared by participants from various social groups and knowledge shared by participants from separate social groups.

청소년 정치참여활동 현황 및 발전방안에 대한 사례연구

청소년 정치참여활동 현황 및 발전방안에 대한 사례연구