The Landscape of Youth Political Engagement: Lessons and Implications for Educational Research and Practice

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Across the world, widespread social, cultural, and political trends are undermining the effectiveness and integrity of civic engagement and governance. The rise of populist figures, the spread of authoritarian attitudes, growing mistrust in institutions, and rising and persistent forms of inequality, all pose challenges or completely obstruct the ability of citizens to participate in public life and shape their collective futures. These trends, coupled with the spread of misinformation, social media manipulation, and the effects of hyper-political polarization, threaten the foundations of democracy and pave the way for the encroachment of authoritarian forces.

In response to these pressing challenges, many look to the potential of youth. Time and again, across national and geographical contexts, young people have demonstrated their ability to participate in and shape civic life. In many instances, they have also shown an inspiring commitment to social justice, challenging and transforming the status quo. Despite this promise, significant challenges persist. In many places, profound inequalities shape patterns of youth participation. Educators, practitioners, and activists working in civic and citizenship education face numerous dilemmas of practice. More broadly, sustaining and advancing democratic ideals remains a persistent challenge.

Traditionally, schools have been seen as the primary spaces responsible for equipping young people with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for political engagement. However, civic and citizenship learning also occurs beyond educational institutions. In today's complex societies, youth engage with the political world in a variety of additional environments, including their homes, families, peer networks, voluntary organizations, and the digital world. To better understand the role that educational experiences might play in youth learning and political development, we need theoretical frameworks and research tools that allow us to understand the multiplicity of dimensions and experiences that are influencing youth political socialization, learning, and development.

This panel brings together a collection of papers that explore the multifaceted landscape of youth civic engagement and political socialization across global contexts. By drawing from cases in Bangladesh, Colombia, Chile, Ethiopia, and Lebanon these studies illuminate the complex interplay between young people's political learning and development, and the diverse sociopolitical environments they navigate in digital and non-digital spaces.

Paper 1 “Who do you talk to about what you care about? The importance of adolescents’ issue-based discussion networks for political socialization”, and Paper 2 “Multifaceted teacher identities and citizenship education: implications for youth civic identity development in polarized contexts” invite us to consider how young people experience the processes of civic and citizenship learning and political socialization. Paper 1 emphasizes the role of social networks in shaping adolescents' political identities, proposing a novel approach to studying issue-based discussion networks. This approach highlights how conversations around relevant topics such as climate change, racism, or gender inequality shape youth civic learning, illustrating that "civic talk" can be an instrumental component fostering political engagement. The paper encourages us to rethink how political socialization occurs among adolescents, suggesting that their engagement may not always follow traditional patterns of political discussion but instead be more issue-driven and embedded in everyday conversations.

In contrast, Paper 2 explores the role of educators in shaping civic identity and political socialization in Colombia’s polarized political context. Teachers in this study navigate complex dynamics between their roles as educators and as workers. While many aim to promote participatory and justice-oriented citizenship, the political polarization in their classrooms often pushes them to adopt a more neutral stance. This paper reveals the tension between fostering critical thinking, commitment to social justice, and maintaining neutrality in politically charged environments, a dilemma that directly affects how students form their civic and political identities. The educators’ own compartmentalization of their civic beliefs suggests that the political socialization of youth is intricately tied to the context and attitudes of those responsible for their civic education.

Paper 3 “Youth civic engagement in the digital age: exploring opportunities and barriers in conflict-affected global South contexts”, and Paper 4 “Highlighting key aspects of a democracy crisis: An ethnographic research of youth participation in the Chilean constitutional process” shift the focus to concrete experiences of youth participation, inviting us to consider the complex web of opportunities and challenges politically engaged youth face, and further revealing opportunities to better support their engagement in digital and non-digital environments. Paper 3 examines civic engagement among youth in the global South, emphasizing the importance of context in understanding how young people develop their civic identities. In countries like Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Lebanon, the intersections of online and offline engagement create unique challenges and opportunities for youth participation. This study critiques romanticized notions of youth civic engagement, especially in online spaces, highlighting the need to address how inequalities, economic destitution, and exclusion from educational opportunities impact youth participation. The findings underscore the need for inclusive and safe spaces that allow marginalized youth to engage meaningfully, particularly in conflict-affected contexts.

Paper 4 provides a case study of youth political participation during Chile’s constitutional process. It shows how young activists became central in advocating for political change in the face of obstruction and widespread misinformation. These activists focused on creating educational opportunities for marginalized communities to participate in the democratic process, highlighting the importance of youth in challenging authoritarian tendencies. This paper illustrates the ways in which youth participation can not only resist authoritarianism but also propose new democratic pathways, as seen in the advocacy for a progressive constitution in Chile.

Together, these four papers paint a nuanced picture of youth civic engagement across different contexts. Paper 1 and Paper 2 offer insights into the formative processes of political socialization, showing how social networks and educational environments shape youth civic identities. Meanwhile, Paper 3 and Paper 4 provide concrete examples of how young people engage in civic life, highlighting both the challenges they face and the transformative potential of their participation. Overall, this panel aims to serve as a platform to engage in discussion about the best ways to understand, prepare, and support youth's political engagement.

Sub Unit

• Citizenship and Democratic Education SIG

Chairs

• Nicolas Riveros Medelius, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Lina M Rangel Diaz, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Individual Presentations

• Who do you talk to about what you care about? The importance of adolescents’ issue-based discussion networks for political socialization - Nicolas Riveros Medelius, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Multifaceted teacher identities and citizenship education: implications for youth civic identity development in polarized contexts - Lina M Rangel Diaz, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Youth civic engagement in the digital age: exploring opportunities and barriers in conflict-affected global South contexts - Nicola Jones, ODI; Khadija Mitu; Workneh Yadete

• Highlighting key aspects of a democracy crisis: An ethnographic research of youth participation in the Chilean constitutional process - Pamela Natalia Reyes Galgani, University of Wisconsin-Madison