Youth in a global era(comments on the J&J Comaroff paper)

Children in Developing Countries

Renata Serra – Jan 25th 2007

Underlying themes

Child agencyYouth is a subset of young peopleGlobal era – some themes are common to youth in both developed and developing countries

Popular youth culture is globalGangsUnemploymentDiscontent and protest

Underlying themes (cont’d)

Ambiguous notions behind youth~ troubles and gang culture“idealized space for achieving great things”

Youth democratic movements in South Africa and Mali

Anti-global movements Quote p. 27:

“our nightmare adolescent … is a synthesis of street child and corporate mogul”

Also young people are innovative and risk-takers: states and markets may find this profitable

Themes: Youth and politics

Youth challenges the state but also uses power within it

Expressions of youth culture challenge the sovereignty of the nations by establishing new ones (Hip Hop Nation) and often transgress law and order

Young people are rebellious almost by definition, but they also affect mainstream politics

Youth and the economy

Global economic changes, neo-liberalism, unemployment, reduction in welfare state Youth is pushed to the marginBut at times it represents also the winners

Multi-millionaire youth is on the increase globally

Protest

Youth and society

Clashes between the promise of success and the impossible realityDreams and disillusionFrustration leads to:

“Paralysis” of action Move into the illegal, prohibited, covert (drug, prostitution, diamond trade, war economics)

Differences but also dialogue between generations (soap operas in Nigeria, India, and Latin America)

Global and local

Problems are similar but they manifest in myriads different ways

Youth innovative spirit tends to translate global issues/trends into very local languages

Ex “Tsotsi” film from South Africa