Juveniles for Justice: Youth Civic Engagement and Activism

This course examines the meaning of youth activism in terms of individual civic development and collective social transformation. Guiding questions include: How does youth civic engagement affect youth’s understandings of themselves, their civic identity, and belonging? How do youth engage in their communities? What effect does this engagement have? What are the barriers and bridges to engagement? Is civic engagement a universal good? The course uses ethnographic cases to explore: 1) how time, place, and social context affect youth’s engagement and notions of citizenship and 2) what transferable insights about citizenship, engagement, and change can be gleaned from study across contexts.