Still Relevant? Youth as an Analytical Tool in Studies on Political Participation

This chapter explores the multifaceted relationships between youth, social change and political participation. The idea of youth as a catalyst for social change is an enduring theme in youth studies and a conceptualization that has deeply shaped the dialogue between youth studies and studies on youth participation. Beginning with a broad review of classic youth studies literature, the chapter traces the evolution of this field from its roots in recognizing young people as agents of social change. It then delves into the realms of social movement studies and political science, highlighting how a perspective focused on youth as agent of social change has enriched these disciplines by broadening our understanding of political participation. However, the chapter also underscores the contemporary challenges posed by the simplistic association of youth with innovation based solely on biological age, potentially neglecting diverse political attitudes among young individuals. In doing so, the chapter argues how this normative benchmarking of innovation and change can limit the comprehensive recognition of youth as an analytical category in the study of political involvement.