Citizenship and Identity
This paper summarizes the concepts of identity and citizenship, and why the active involvement of young people in political and social issues is currently a key policy issue.
Citizenship is the state in which a person is given membership to a certain political state. The person is then given rights, duties, and certain privileges. On the other hand, the concept of identity is rather vague. .One can either think of identity as individual, pertaining to things that suggest that the person is a singular individual, such as identification cards. One may also think of identity in a social aspect. By social, I am pertaining to how people present themselves to other people. It is, as one can say, a discourse between presentation of one and the understanding of the other. This is called social identity.
Unbelievably though, a recent poll revealed that less than a quarter percent of 15-24 year old students think they understand how the Parliament works and what it is for, only 9 percent had any idea what the local council was for, and only 35 percent of the surveyed youths knew anything about their rights.
Though this survey reveals much, in other parts of the world, young people in the current decades are participating more actively on Social and Political issues. In the past decade, young people were viewed as not having any inclination towards social or political issues, but their involvement in rallies and gatherings concerning social issues suggest otherwise. “Concerns about young people’s political ignorance, apathy and alienation in the 1980s led to a number of developments aimed at promoting political literacy and participation.” (1999). Research shows that the reason why the youth in the early 1990’s was uninterested in politics is that they had either lacked the understanding on politics or politicians did little to represent the youth better. Less effort was made back then to reach out to the youth and try to understand their needs. But the Education sector is now currently promoting youth involvement in political issues that in turn promote the development of social awareness, youth empowerment , and the understanding of events that are happening in the world which may shape and reshape the path of our future and our own identity. Increasingly the youth participation in rallies ,political gatherings and other socially involved demonstrations continue to shock and change the views of the masses about the regarding the activism of the younger generation of today.
With recent demonstrations around the world, everyone is baffled: What do the youth really want? We really cannot point out what they really want for there are lots of issues the youth may be really wanting to tackle. Issues may range from poverty, to sexism, racism, hunger, war, even sexually transmitted diseases. These issues help dismiss the old stereotypes of the insensitive youth and give us a better view and opinion of the younger generation.
Activism inside schools are now encouraged since it yearns to develop the youth social awareness, political involvement, and moral uprightness of the younger generation. The type of activism encouraged is not that of demonstrations or rallies. Freedom of speech inside schools are now more freely encouraged. Students are more free to have a say on political, social, and moral issues. Further encouragement on students to exercise their rights can ultimately lead to youth empowerment and less fear on tackling issues that cloud our everyday life.
Student activism still plays a major role In youth empowerment and making better the state of the world. Being active socially and politically can help shed light on issues which the government have little knowledge of. Letting the youth express themselves at a very young age helps make sure that the future of the world is in good hands. Entrusting the youth with the knowledge shared by he elder generation and letting them make their own opinions and judgments are sure to help them understand what they are currently facing. Educating them early about social issues surrounding the people of the world today are sure to help cultivate positive ideology and inclination towards the betterment of the world’s current social situation. Entrusting these things to them gives them the sense of well-being. Also, giving them access to social issues in the community can give to them a sense of self, a sense of identity, a sense of being part of something great, and that also, this something great needs their help. It gives them something they can identify with, thus, giving them a great sense of bond to the community. And giving them the responsibility of participating in community affairs, no matter how small the part, will help them feel, encouraged, and thus motivating them to help the community. Along the way, they cultivate the expertise and proficiency on a given aspect. These will be of great help to the future generations since they have been enlightened on these tasks early on.
Even in the United Nations(UN) Human Rights Program Homepage of Ecuador, there is a fragment in the collective rights of teenagers that states: “…To guarantee the enforcement of the rights of young people, to respect their freedom of thought as objectors of conscience, as well as their freedoms of assembly, speech, belief, and sexual inclination, so they can become responsible social subjects in all developmental public and private development areas.” Even here we can see that the government is clearly making an effort to give to young people the freedom of involving themselves in social and political issues governing our society.
It is truly vital for the continuation of the betterment of modern society that it would promote and solidify laws and policies regarding youth empowerment and involvement. Policies such as the one drafted by the UN for Ecuador, is a start for the movement of youth empowerment. By doing this, it is, in a way, assuring the future of the society for they are leaving it in the hands of people whom they are sure that would be able to take care of the society.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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