This academic workshop on “Youth and Civic Participation. Is a Younger Generation Reshaping European Politics?” will be held 15-17 May 2013, University of Antwerp, Belgium. The conference wants to investigate how a young generation of citizens tries to make sense of current social trends and problems. Whereas some researchers are convinced of the apparent civic disengagement of youth, others suggest that civic participation of young people is stable and that they may still be open to non-institutionalized forms of practicing politics. Proposals are invited by January 6, 2013.
By preference, proposals summarize comparative research of different (European) countries and types of participation. The topics are centered around, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Motives and values that inspire youth to engage
• Behaviour and forms of civic participation
• Context and skills that condition youth civic participation
• Impact and influence of youth civic participation on contemporary politics