Disaffected Youth in Asian Cities: Singapore as a Model for the Diffusion of the Youth Bulge Effect

MA University of Hawaii at Manoa 2004Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123–125).The youth bulge hypothesis suggests that there is a link between a high proportion of youth (aged 15-24) and the growth of political instability. This thesis addresses the hypothesis and applies it to the urban environment in seven Asian cities. First, population data was gathered to identifY the particular years of youth bulge in the past fifty years. The history of each urban center was then examined to determine whether a link with youth bulges could be identified. Singapore was used in a case study of how the effects of a youth bulge can be diffused. Singapore's particular political environment, its detail-oriented leaders, and a series of government policies have given Singapore incredibly stability, even during decades of youth bulges. The factors involved were investigated, and compared with conditions in certain Asian nations which have had or will have distinct youth bulges