Young citizens and political participation in a digital society : addressing the democratic disconnect

We are living in an era of democratic disconnect. A gap exists between institutional understandings and expectations of young citizens and the nature and substance of youthful forms of political action. In recent times youth participation policies have become a popular strategy to address a range of perceived 'issues' related to young people: either problems of youth disengagement from democracy or their exclusion from democratic processes. Drawing on the accounts of young people in Australia and the United Kingdom, this book examines questions of youth citizenship and participation by exploring their meanings in policy, practice and youth experience. With reference to recent theoretical work from the New Sociology of Youth, Political Sociology and Media and Communications it examines young people's perspectives on participation in non-government and youth-led organisations. In doing so, it focuses on what young people think and do - and what can be done to bridge the democratic disconnect.

"Young Citizens and Participation in a Digital Society is an important and very timely contribution to a question that lies at the heart of our democratic malaise. Collin draws upon a vast literature to unmask the illusions, the contradictions and the speculative commentaries that have dogged serious discourse on young people's political and civic participation."--Eric Sidoti, University of Western Sydney, Australia 'This book challenges traditional institutions to respond to broader processes of social and cultural change that young people are experiencing, asking whether they can adapt and change; while also reiterating that young people's political need to achieve consensus may mean elite power is increasingly being left unquestioned.' - Ariadne Vromen, University of Sydney, Australia 'A litmus test for excellent research in the area of citizenship and youth should be the reflexivity, depth and breadth of its empirical and theoretical engagement with young people and the social interests, environments and policies which structure or inflect their lives. Collin's perceptive and critical book passes this test, offering valuable solutions to the disconnect between young people and institutional governance in the UK and Australia.' - Shakuntala Banaji, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK 'Collin has drawn upon research undertaken in the UK and Australia to bring to life how young people are turning to new social practices with digital media as a way of 'being political'. As a result she suggests that we need to think differently about how we conceptualise young people's engagement with citizenship and democracy. This is an excellent book and will, I am sure, actively engage students in areas such as the sociology of youth, cultural studies and politics.' - Professor Alan France, University of Auckland, New Zealand.  Read more...