“The kids are all right”: youth activists as norm entrepreneurs. youth-led advocacy, socio-political justice and policy change in international politics
Date
2021
Authors
Elgoni, Maryam
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Abstract
This research paper aims to better understand the role of, and relative degree of power held by, youth-led advocacy movements in regard to the creation of policy change discourse, analysed through the lens of norm theory. Empirically, this is significant as it allows for more focused thinking on agenda-setting within youth advocacy movements, while academically, prompts conceptualisations on the role of youth advocates as non-state actors and norm entrepreneurs in International Relations. The paper will analyse theory around norms, policy formulation and youth participation, attempting to find the nexus between the three. The #FridaysForFuture case study will be explored in-depth, paying particular attention to the agents involved and the contexts within the advocacy occurred. The paper will show that youth are norm entrepreneurs who have increasingly spearheaded norm emergence, and who consequently play an increasingly important role in the discourse on policy change
Description
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2021