Local Community Care-based Activism and Civic Engagement Among Canadian Arab Youth

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the local community care-based activism and civic engagement of a racialized youth demographic: Canadian Arab youth. Civic engagement refers to volunteerism and service-oriented activities and programs that expand community, ground social networks, help people, and make civil society possible. Focusing on the parameters and rates of Canadian Arab youth participation, motivation, and commitment, we examine the scales of their political interests, the degree of their involvement in volunteerism and social action, what sparks their activity in the civic realm, and how they imagine and attempt to improve the conditions for a better and more inclusive society. We find that Canadian Arab youth give considerable service back to their communities, especially to the communities of their own cultural milieu, but also significantly to service projects in their local municipalities