From Protest to Politics: GenZ’s Inside–Outside Activism and Political Efficacy

Abstract

This article explores how Gen Z activists in the US Southwest navigate ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ forms of political activism and how these experiences shape their political efficacy. We use participant-chosen social media posts as photo elicitation alongside serial reflection interviews to examine the motivations, behaviours and aspirations of 10 youth activists aged 17–26. Activists reported beginning their political journey through outside activism, such as protests, campaign volunteering and online campaigns, building strong internal political efficacy (IPE) by affirming their identities and the ability to resist injustice. Many then crossed into political spaces by running for office, leading policy-focused organizations and engaging directly with policymakers. These experiences strengthened their external political efficacy (EPE) by testing whether and how institutions responded to youth-led change. We found that activism and confidence created a virtuous circle: early activism boosted confidence, leading to more involvement, while navigating formal institutions not only revealed structural barriers and tokenism but also provided opportunities to influence policy and stay engaged. Our findings underscore the hybrid nature of contemporary youth activism, highlight the different paths through which IPE and EPE develop, and offer educators and policymakers guidance to support young people as they shift from protesting to participating in politics.