The analysis of youth participation in contemporary literature: a European perspective

Today in Europe, the participation of young people in the decision-making process appears crucial to public authorities for a number of reasons. The crisis of trust and confidence towards traditional forms of representation (as shown both by the growth of abstention but also by the change or even the disengagement from the classical forms of associative and union mobilization), the growth of individualisation, the building of more varied and uncertain biographical trajectories, the appearance of an unsettled and weakened sense of belonging to the national and local communities, these factors encourage public authorities to rally specifically round the young generations. However, the participation of young people remains an ambivalent political concern. References to participation can be interpreted as a key concept for an understanding of social integration in modern and late modern societies in which the actions and choices of the individuals – in their role as citizens – play an essential role in terms of influence, involvement and active citizenship it. According to the White Paper, ‘Young people want the right to give their opinion on all aspects of their daily lives, such as family, school, work, group activities, their local area, etc. However, in doing so, they are also involved in broader economic, social and political issues.’ (European Commission, 2001, p 24) This quotation reflects the awareness of a change in the way social integration has become politically institutionalised in terms of a citizenship status; from members of society based on formally assigned rights and responsibilities towards a diversification of involvement possibilities and influence in late modern societies. One may also speak of an individualisation of governance. Consequently, participation in the White Paper is defined as ‘Ensuring young people are consulted and more involved in the decisions which concern them and, in general, the life of their communities.’ (European Commission, 2001, p 8) This volume aims at investigating the meaning and the forms, the extent and conditionality of young people’s active citizenship. What conditions are imposed on young people’s citizenship? How are young people treated in a society that promotes citizenship in this sense? The varied definitions of participation and the implications of differing forms of participation will therefore require exploration. Thus, the issue of participation itself represents an intellectual challenge, particularly in relation to the multiplicity of meanings this concept has acquired at regional, national and European levels. As Percy-Smith and Thomas underline in the introduction of their Handbook of Children and Young People’s Participation (2010), the concept of participation is still ‘in search of definition’, therefore, a core objective of this book is to analyse the relationships and tensions between institutionalised and newly emerging forms of participation. This becomes more important as, even on the European policy level, we find not only different but contradicting statements on the relevance and meaning of participation. On the one hand, the 2001 White Paper to some extent accepts that participation means to accept social change towards new and unknown forms of society – which implies accepting uncertainty: ‘We are expecting them [young people] to create new forms of social relations, different ways of expressing solidarity or of coping with differences and finding enrichment in them, while new uncertainties appear.’ (European Commission, 2001, p 4) On the other hand, in the follow-up process of the White Paper and especially in the framework of the European Youth Pact, participation is much more related to the existing societal structures and institutions. The question of participation also represents a political challenge. If young people do not behave as active citizens in these areas, it damages the political legitimacy of these institutions (Giddens, 199..