It's not uncommon to hear about women's rights. Racial equality is another oft discussed topic. Indeed, many disadvantaged groups speak about their right to be acknowledged as politically important. But it's not as common to hear about youth and their engagement in politics.
Since Generation X, two new generations have come about in an alphabetically-pleasing continuum: Generation Y and Generation Z. Many authors and surveyists have said that these three generations are demonstrating a far lesser interest in politics than their parents' generations.
American youth are undergoing a sort of indentity crisis that is causing them to back away from politics. Internationally, Indian and Chinese youth are also pushing away from politics due to their own national situations (see India's youth identity crisis).
Arguments about Youth Apathy
Some would argue that young people have always been relatively apolitical. It is part of the maturation process, many would argue. Many think that youth ought to begin their entry into adult life relatively apathetic towards politics, as they have yet to be fully integrated into the political system. In addition, many would say, youth lack the experience that brings the knowledge and confidence necessary to make a worthy contribution to politics.
Then there is a counter-argument that the above statement is untrue - that, in fact, young people in many cultures are becoming more politically active. Take the Middle East for example, where half the population is under 21. There, youth are seen to be engaging more in political activity. The colossal World Values Survey, a study that gathered opinions of the world across ages, genders, and cultures, from 1995 to 1998, shows that in places like Nigeria, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, and Iran, interest in politics is high among the young.
However, the vast majority of reading on youth participation in politics shows that there has been a steady decline in youth participation and interest in politics worldwide.
A Political Comeback for Youth?
It is a highly debated topic - this one of whether or not youth are depoliticizing. Many are saying that massive youth voter participation in the recent US election demonstrates a political comeback for youth. But others aren't so sure.
What seems to be happening, argue Hartmann and Trnka in their book Democratic Youth Participation: A concept revised, is that the ideas of youth are being marginalised and hidden in society's educational institutions, where they are not used as they should be for the improvement of politics and society.
Youth have the potential to offer a vastly untapped source of vitality, strength, fresh ideas, innovation and innocence that could refresh politics in a whole new way.
The Continuous Cycle of Disengagement
Youth marginalizaiton, if it is indeed true as so many claim that they are becoming increasingly disengaged, is the fault of a perpetual cycle whereby youth feel disconnected from current events due to lack of experience, and lack of adequate knowledge, which causes them to be less likely to get involved, and then politicians catch on to the trend of what they think as youth disinterest in politics, which causes them to largely ignore the youth category in their political campaigns.
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