Exploring Categories of Youth Activism: A Comprehensive Examination

• In Event: Activism and Social Change

Proposal

To facilitate the pedagogical development of instructional methodologies aimed at nurturing proficient collective mobilization skills among young cohorts, a meticulous analysis of activism's conceptual underpinnings, both in a general context and with a specific focus on youth activism, becomes indispensable. This scholarly endeavor seeks not only to delineate overarching typologies of youth activism but also to delineate salient distinctions between youthful and adult engagement in activist pursuits. While extant scholarly investigations have broached the subject of youth activism, the majority tend to concentrate on specific manifestations thereof (e.g., O’Brien et al., 2018; Paschou & Durán Mogollón, 2022; Kornbluh et al., 2022, et al.), thereby neglecting the provision of an all-encompassing taxonomy encapsulating the full spectrum of youth activism manifestations. The principal objective of this scholarly exposition resides in the identification of fundamental categorizations that facilitate the classification of youth activism, undergirded by an exploration of the forces that shape its contours.
Activism, by its essence, can be construed as a manifestation of civic engagement, encapsulating a spectrum of individual and collective actions that endeavor to ameliorate societal conditions by addressing matters of public import (Goldner & Golan, 2019; Lima et al., 2021). Discerning scholars, in their meticulous inquiry, discern between conventional (offline) and digital (online) instantiations of activism (George & Leidner, 2019), which, in turn, might synergize in hybridized forms (Showden et al., 2023). Moreover, the continuum of activism can be distinguished by the gradient of risk inherent in its pursuits. Notably, the ascription of risk is reliant on subjective interpretations, encompassing the cognitive lens through which individuals perceive perils (Wilson & Hill, 2023). The discernment of what constitutes risk is further contingent on contextual factors, including the prevailing political milieu and the extent of civil society's maturation. In furtherance of a systematic taxonomy, activism can be classified along various dimensions, encompassing the identity of the activist or the constituency they represent (youth activism, ethnic activism, migrant activism, fan activism, marginalized activism, etc.), the target demographic (policymakers, the general public, specific communities, corporations, or even international organizations), the thematic domain of concern (climate change and other environmental issues, health issues, human and animal rights protection, gun violence prevention, etc.), the ideological frameworks of activists (Leftist vs Right-wing activists, etc.), the geographical loci of activism (local, regional or global), and the constellation of stakeholders who wield influence over its course (school, youth movements, governments, international organizations, etc.). There may be correlation between activism and political regimes. Certain regimes may foster certain types of activism, e.g., anti-communist activism (Navrátil & Hrubeš, 2018). Research shows that some personality factors may impact opposition activism. For example, Dollbaum and Robertson (2023) argue that ‘high extraversion predicts political activism’ (Dollbaum & Robertson, 2023, p. 1). The pantheon of activist expressions spans a rich diversity, encompassing domains such as volunteerism, protests, processions, sit-ins, endorsement of petitions, electoral participation, artistic interventions, and scholastic initiatives, as posited by Torres-Harding and colleagues (2018). It stands self-evident that this kaleidoscopic array of activist modalities and embodiments is equally discernible within the domain of youthful activism.
Youth activism, as a locus of inquiry, endeavours to wrestle with an array of socio-political predicaments, ranging from scholastic and academic tribulations to urban and communal conundrums, from health-related predicaments to issues germane to ethnic minorities and racial disparities, and from gender inequities to quandaries surrounding poverty, sexual orientation, child labour, child marriages, ecological exigencies, human and animal rights, and the broader humanitarian milieu. A multiplicity of rationales underpins the foray of young individuals into the realm of activism. These catalysts might encompass a reaction to faltering institutional systems (Percy-Smith et al., 2023, p. 199) or might emanate from an internalized sense of responsibility (Ibid., p. 199). Youth activism thus emerges as a vehicle for safeguarding the rights of the youthful demographic, advocating for justice, addressing scholastic or social quandaries germane to the young populace, and, in broader terms, embarking upon the rectification of societal maladies. However, it is noteworthy that the trajectory of youthful activism is often beleaguered by unique challenges, precipitated by their tender age, limited experiential acumen, and resource constraints. Invariably, the potential of young activists to effectuate change within the realm of policy formulation and implementation is impeded by the paucity of adult mentorship, thereby circumscribing their impact on the policy continuum (McMellon & Tisdall, 2020). An expansive panoply of factors intersects to shape the contours of youth activism, spanning dimensions such as upbringing, socio-economic provenance (Lima et al., 2021), scholastic/collegiate milieu, peer involvements in distinct activist paradigms, digital social platforms, the prevailing political landscape, the vogue of specific activist genres, the tenor of youth movements, and a miscellany of other influences.
In conclusion, this comprehensive examination underscores the imperatives and multifaceted dimensions inherent in youth activism. The discernment of its myriad typologies, underpinned by an astute recognition of the forces that engender its proliferation, bears substantive implications for the development of curricula at the educational echelons of schools and universities.

Author

• Alla Stremovskaya, Technion