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2 - Youth Activism in Postapartheid South Africa

from Part I - Organizing and Activism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 April 2024

By
Tafadzwa Tivaringe  and
Ben Kirshner
Edited by
Brian D. Christens
Brian D. Christens
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University, Tennessee
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Summary

Dominant representations of youth in postapartheid South Africa have tended to portray a politically apathetic cohort, especially in comparison to prior generations. Yet, how did a cohort that is “disengaged” and “not committed to democracy” end up organizing a powerful national movement that led to a swift policy change? In this chapter, we address this gap by examining the ways in which youth have, and continue to be, active political agents within South African communities. Through examining two noteworthy cases of contemporary youth organizing – Equal Education and the Fallists movements – this chapter demonstrates the ways in which youth continue to exercise collective agency and enact social change. Given that evidence from electoral returns and survey evidence have suggested political disengagement among youth, we argue that understanding shifts in community power that arise from empowerment processes linked to youth organizing holds promise for more productive theorization of young people’s political action and illuminates creative ways of advancing participatory democracy. We conclude by considering the implications for youth movements and scholarship about youth activism.

Keywords

South Africayouthorganizingempowermentpolitical engagementsocial change
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Community Empowerment , pp. 59 - 82
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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