Youth Activists in the Age of Postmodern Globalization

Notes from an Ongoing Project

Abstract

*Political Participation and Youth in Local Governance | Research Articles

Modern nation states have tied their political processes to the actions of citizens and have therefore become preoccupied with developing “the good citizen,” positioning youth as the key to this social experiment. Modernist attitudes and practices, however, are giving way to new economic, political, and cultural structures. This new age of postmodernity and globalization is characterized by a declining ability of nation states to control economies, cultures, and, to a certain degree, politics. In many cases, the meaning and the promise of political participation has eroded. This, in turn, has given rise to a new preoccupation with civic engagement. Most studies have found low levels of interest in civic engagement among youth. Despite these general findings, there are some youth who care deeply about their communities and whose activism has been increasing in recent years. In this paper, I present some preliminary thoughts on an ongoing project that seeks to understand the participatory trajectories of civically engaged youth; the ways in which they engage; and their thoughts on their rights, their world and on politics in general.