Since the 1990s, Canadian public and academic discourse has largely framed young people as apathetic and disengaged from civic life. The perceived lack of civic engagement among youth has led to the proliferation of various programs and initiatives, both state-led and community-based, which aim to overcome and address the perceived issue of young people’s lack of participation (Caron, Raby, Mitchell, Thewissen-LeBlanc, & Prioletta, 2016, pp. 3-4). As Caron et al. (2016, p. 4) note, many of these programs do not seek social or structural changes that young people might want. Nor do these programs aim to understand and act on young people’s self-identified needs. Rather, these programs and initiatives seek to regulate undutiful youth citizens
…show more content…
print newspapers). According to the authors, this form of citizenship practice is in decline both in the United States and elsewhere. However, Bennett et al. identify new civic practices among young people, which they term “actualizing citizensip.” Under this model, young people have moved away from traditional forms of civic engagement. Scholars attribute this shift in citizenship practices to the fragmentation of social life and growing disenchantment with traditional state-centred politics among youth (Harris, Wyn & Younes, 2010). Actualizing citizenship stresses the importance of participatory social media and technology to maximize expression. Under this model, civic engagement is creative and “personal identity is strongly tied to engagement as an effect of individual content production and sharing between peers” (Bennett et al., 2011, p. 840). After reviewing the two oppositional narratives concerning new social platforms for civic engagement, Bennett et al. (2011, p. 836) conclude …show more content…
In general, these scholars argue that political engagement among youth has shifted to reflect the “fragmentation of traditional institutions and an increased emphasis on individual choice and action” (Harris & Roose, 2014, p. 800). In response to concerns over youth apathy and disengagement, Taft (2006) warns that the phrase ‘I’m not a politics person’ often expressed by youth should not to be interpreted as a sentiment of political disavowal, disengagement, apathy, or being uninformed. On the contrary, youth still hold strong opinions concerning social or political matters or events and the identification of ‘not a politics person’ is often an expression of strategic distancing from state-centred politics and a refusal of state-based hegemonic practices that fail to represent youth voices or interests. Thus, one needs to be careful in strictly considering formal association, participation in, or belonging to institutions, unions, organizations, political party associations, or clubs as the primary display civic participation among
print newspapers). According to the authors, this form of citizenship practice is in decline both in the United States and elsewhere. However, Bennett et al. identify new civic practices among young people, which they term “actualizing citizensip.” Under this model, young people have moved away from traditional forms of civic engagement. Scholars attribute this shift in citizenship practices to the fragmentation of social life and growing disenchantment with traditional state-centred politics among youth (Harris, Wyn & Younes, 2010). Actualizing citizenship stresses the importance of participatory social media and technology to maximize expression. Under this model, civic engagement is creative and “personal identity is strongly tied to engagement as an effect of individual content production and sharing between peers” (Bennett et al., 2011, p. 840). After reviewing the two oppositional narratives concerning new social platforms for civic engagement, Bennett et al. (2011, p. 836) conclude …show more content…
In general, these scholars argue that political engagement among youth has shifted to reflect the “fragmentation of traditional institutions and an increased emphasis on individual choice and action” (Harris & Roose, 2014, p. 800). In response to concerns over youth apathy and disengagement, Taft (2006) warns that the phrase ‘I’m not a politics person’ often expressed by youth should not to be interpreted as a sentiment of political disavowal, disengagement, apathy, or being uninformed. On the contrary, youth still hold strong opinions concerning social or political matters or events and the identification of ‘not a politics person’ is often an expression of strategic distancing from state-centred politics and a refusal of state-based hegemonic practices that fail to represent youth voices or interests. Thus, one needs to be careful in strictly considering formal association, participation in, or belonging to institutions, unions, organizations, political party associations, or clubs as the primary display civic participation among