Youth Citizenship and the Millennium Generation

Abstract

This article presents a theoretical review of the notion of citizenship using a critical analysis of published international research. A citizen may be described as a member of a political community or state who has certain legal, social and moral rights, duties and responsibilities. Based on the research, the author suggests the notion of citizenship must be seen in a broader perspective with aspects of both globalisation and local phenomena seen from a citizen's daily life experiences as well as of gender, race, sexuality, ability, ethnicity, religion and class. The notion of citizenship must also focus on cultural, demographic, political and socio-economic contexts of everyday life. The Marshall paradigm of citizenship and the various critiques of it are presented in the introduction. Widespread concerns about declining levels of political engagement and participation among young people in the entire Western world are discussed as well as more recent research that has questioned the view that young people are politically apathetic. Insights are presented about theories and perspectives of young people's citizenship, and those dimensions of citizenship that have remained invisible, such as young citizens' adoption of values of individualisation and globalisation, are highlighted.