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81. Old Society, New Youths: An Overview of Youth and Popular Participation in Post-Reformasi Indonesia

Author:
Jonathan Chen and Adi Syailendra
Publication Date:
03-2014
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS)
Abstract:
An outmoded conception of youth in post-Reformasi Indonesia had led to an essentialisation of the demography into a dichotomous characterisation between that of “demographic dividends” and “ticking time-bombs”. In contemporary Indonesia, futurists see youths as fiduciary members of the developmentalist state agenda while pessimists take opprobrium at their volatile and violent track-record. This paper rejects both premises as instances of “Old Society” intrusion into the perceptions of Indonesian youth. Instead it ventures into an in- depth, sober examination of their present state of affairs and predicament. Based heavily upon empirical data from a range of surveys, polls and census, it had been shown that state and institutional attempts at reclaiming/redefining youths as their own fell short of ground realities. Youth emanating particularly from the Y-Generation and beyond have more agency than conventionally felt and it is increasingly imperative that their opinions on democratisation and decentralisation, twin aspects of reform efforts in Indonesia, are urgently taken into account given their potential for growth and influence.
Topic:
Youth Culture, Democracy, Youth, and Decentralization
Political Geography:
Indonesia and Asia

82. From Juvenile System Reform to a Conflict of Civilizations in Contemporary Russian Society (De la réforme de la justice des mineurs au conflit de civilisations dans la société russe contemporaine)

Author:
Kathy Rousselet
Publication Date:
06-2014
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales
Abstract:
Youth delinquency has been a hot topic in Russian society for many years. Numerous associations, NGOs and international organizations have raised public awareness of the problem and have encouraged the government to place judicial reform on its agenda. However, debate over how to apply it, the various possible models and how to structure the relationship between social and judicial institutions has been limited. Discussion has instead focused on the relative priorities to be given to the interests of children versus those of the family, so-called “traditional” versus “liberal” values, and the extent to which the State should interfere in the private lives of Russian citizens. Discussion of the actual situation of children at risk and the concrete problems posed by reform have been overshadowed by rumors, encouraged by a discourse of fear in an increasingly violent society that tend to distort the real problems. Additionally, implementation of international norms and judicial reform has been largely blocked by the patriotic agenda of the State.
Topic:
Crime, Democratization, Human Rights, Sociology, Prisons/Penal Systems, Reform, Children, Youth, and Political Science
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Asia

83. Improving the Future of Maternal and Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa by Investing in Adolescent Girls

Author:
Shelley Clark
Publication Date:
01-2013
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
The premise of this policy brief is simple: The most effective way to dramatically reduce maternal and child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa over the next decade is to invest in adolescent girls’ educational and economic opportunities today. The goals set forth by MDG 4 (decrease child mortality by two thirds) and MDG 5 (reduce maternal mortality ratio by 75%) are already unlikely to be reached by 2015. What is more, we will continue to fall short of these objectives over the next ten years if the developmental needs of adolescent girls continue to be neglected. Continued investment of resources to improve access to high quality health services, medical treatments, and technology development are necessary and important to reach these goals. But they are not sufficient as long as the root causes of poor maternal and child health outcomes remain unaddressed. Devoting resources to improving the social and economic opportunities of adolescent girls offers a proactive approach with multiple long-lasting effects on not only these girls directly, but also on their future families and communities. The profound effect of women’s education on child survival is well-established. Improvements in women’s education account for half of the decline in child mortality since 1970. Other equally impressive effects are less well-known. Girls who attend secondary school, for example, delay sexual debut, pregnancy, and marriage by several years, resulting in lower rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, teen pregnancy, unsafe abortions, and single adolescent motherhood. Consequently, increasing girls’ schooling will make their pregnancy and motherhood experiences safer and reduce maternal mortality. Alleviating adolescents’ poverty and developing their income-generating skills will also offer girls alternatives to early motherhood and marriage and provide them and their families with the economic resources to improve their nutrition, sanitation, and utilization of health services.
Topic:
Development, Health, Children, Women, Youth, and Investment
Political Geography:
Africa

84. China's Communist Youth League 90 Years On

Author:
Paul Nash
Publication Date:
09-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Diplomatic Courier
Abstract:
fter 90 years, China’s Communist Youth League is still going strong. Much has happened in that time. The nation has experienced political revolution, foreign invasion and a bloody civil war. It has experimented on a large scale with its economy, and its social structure, with devastating results. Then it reintegrated into global capitalism with astonishing success. And all along the Youth League has grown bigger and better organized. It seems to thrive on change, and always manages to find a curiously subtle way of militating against the pernicious influences thought to be imperilling the nation’s young people. Today, however, its members face something of a moral dilemma: what to make of Apple’s iPad. The Xinhua news agency and People’s Daily, the two principal media outlets representing the views of the Communist Party, have run a series of editorials assailing the American company’s practices in China. They have uncovered the “Five Sins of Apple.” The top three would sound agreeably familiar to an American Christian if they were not joined to an ideology perceived to spurn religion: hypocrisy, indifference, and impurity. According to these articles, the “bright Apple Inc.” flouts the copyrights of Chinese authors even as the United States condemns China for not protecting foreign intellectual property; Apple is indifferent to the pollution its local manufacturers produce; and the company allows erotic content to be propagated on its devices in flagrant violation of China’s strict anti-pornography laws. The Youth League jury, it seems, is still out—but not because it is torn between the iPad’s desirability and the evidence against Apple. Its members have become wary of such media campaigns sponsored by the government, recognizing their potential, or their intent, to divert public attention from more pressing domestic problems. If they approve their moral thrust, they also feel obliged to consider their message in full context, which includes the motives of their origination. After all, the league encourages it members to “seek the truth from all the facts.”
Topic:
Communism, Youth Culture, Youth, and Morality
Political Geography:
China and Asia

85. Millennials and Social Media

Author:
Evan Kraus
Publication Date:
09-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Diplomatic Courier
Abstract:
We hear a lot of talk about millennials, those 50 million Americans aged 18 - 29 who have entered our society with a bang. Like most past generations in their younger days, this group is idealistic, leans liberal and is excited about the future. Where millennials differ most from the generations who came before them is in their prodigious use of social media. According to Pew, 75 percent of millennials participate in social networking, and more than 20 percent have uploaded video of themselves to the web. It is that expressive nature of the generation, and their willingness to share in so public a venue, that defines the group. This idealism, combined with the expressive instincts of millennials, can have a profound impact on public policy. Take the Kony 2012 movement as an example. In March 2012, Invisible Children released a short film about Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army that urged its mostly young viewers to get involved in its publicity campaign. Within a few months, the video attracted more than 100 million views on YouTube and Vimeo, generated tremendous traditional media coverage and inspired the U.S. Senate to pass a resolution and the African Union to deploy troops, an unprecedented response to a fairly obscure issue in a remote part of the world. Of course, Joseph Kony has been a menace in Central Africa for more than a quarter-century and was indicted for war crimes by the Hague in 2005. But it took a simple, inspiring video plugged into social media to get millennials inspired and active. This is the central challenge for activists and leaders who wish to persuade millennials to adopt a similar response on other issues. By their very nature, foreign policy issues are nuanced and almost impossibly complex. The public in general, and millennials in particular, do not, as a group, have the patience to sift through every wrinkle and dependency. The age of the white paper or long-form reporting feature is largely over, replaced by the simple infographic or video-based story. It takes real talent, creativity and even a little bravery (just browse through the withering criticism aimed at Invisible Children to see why) to isolate the basic elements of an issue and express them in an interesting and compelling visual format with enough emotion and energy to inspire a supportive response. But this is the talent we must increasingly cultivate and celebrate in public affairs circles if we want the millennial public to get involved.
Topic:
Youth Culture, Social Media, Youth, and Millennials
Political Geography:
Global Focus

86. Generation "U".: The Plight oof 75 Million Unemployed Youth

Author:
Arun S. Nair
Publication Date:
09-2012
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Diplomatic Courier
Abstract:
Consider this—globally, 75 million youth between 15 and 24 years of age are unemployed, according to a May 2012 report of the International Labor Organization (ILO). If all these youth were residents of a single nation, that would make it the 18th most populous in the world. The 75 million youth (an increase of around 4 million since 2007) comprise about 40 percent of the estimated 207 million unemployed people across the world. Many of those who have managed to secure some employment are not any better off. As many as 228 million youth who have 'jobs' live on less than $2 a day, a reflection of their poverty and under-employment. The ILO forecasts a bleak future too. The international body on labor projects that the global youth unemployment rate—seen at 12.7 percent this year (or higher at 13.6 percent if one includes those who have given up or put off their job search due to the poor prospects)—will remain at such high levels in the near future, that is at least till 2016. Such is the seriousness of the problem that some experts have already started describing today's youth as Generation 'U' (for Unemployed) or Generation 'NEET' (an acronym for Not in Education, Employment or Training), a far cry from the more popularly used term—'Generation Z' or 'iGeneration' (symbolizing their skills in being technologically advanced and connected).
Topic:
Debt, Youth, Unemployment, and Job Creation
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

87. Constraints on the demand for youth labour in Zambia

Author:
ZIPAR, Grayson Koyi, Gibson Masumbu, and Albert Halwampa
Publication Date:
12-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR)
Abstract:
Zambia is one of many developing countries struggling to create adequate employment opportunities for its people, especially in the formal economy. Unemployment is highest among youths (15–24 years old) and particularly affects those without skills. Unless the challenge of youth unemployment is met, Zambia could face rising poverty levels in the future. Based on a survey of firms in the mining and quarrying, manufacturing, and construction industries, this study analyses constraints on the demand for youth labour and identifies five broad policy areas in which the government could help make it easier for firms to absorb more young people.
Topic:
Poverty, Labor Issues, Youth, Mining, and Unemployment
Political Geography:
Africa and Zambia