Every generation is accused of participating less than the previous one. Today’s young people are no exception. Low turnout, distrust in politics and growing distance from institutions are often presented as signs of civic disengagement. But what if we are asking the wrong question?
During the past months, as partners in the EU project ParticipACTION, Glocal Factory and IRC Italia had the opportunity to listen directly to young Italian people from different backgrounds, bringing together research, focus groups, interactive seminars and policy dialogue. Rather than confirming the stereotype of an apathetic generation, the experience revealed something more complex: young people do care about society, but they often struggle to recognise themselves in the institutions that are supposed to represent them.
Participation, therefore, is not simply a matter of motivation. It is also a matter of trust, accessibility, representation and opportunities.
This issue explores these questions, using ParticipACTION not as its subject, but as a lens through which to reflect on one of the key challenges facing European democracies today.