Short Abstract

What is behind this wave of Gen-Z protests and revolutions? This panel invites papers examining this across the Global South and beyond. We will explore the underlying grievances, diverse trajectories and possible futures of these movements.

Description

Youth protests appear to be escalating across the world under the banner of “Gen-Z”. The most striking cases can be seen in South Asia, where youth led movements have brought regime change in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Many see these as political revolutions, and together they have been dubbed a ‘South Asian Spring’. Such protests are spreading and have recently brought change in Madagascar and serious unrest elsewhere. This panel invites presentations offering new perspectives on these movements. Core themes to be examined will be grievances, trajectories and futures. Many core grievances appear to be common, including anger around political corruption and joblessness. But where do they diverge and why? Protest trajectories also appear to differ. Questions can be raised around the marginalisation of women and minority groups, the actual role of youth within such movements, and the extent to which these movements can bring structural change rather than just regime change. And finally, what lies on the horizon for these movements? In a world where AI promises to radically disrupt the labour market, what are the prospects for political stability and how can public policy begin to address challenges of this scale?

This Panel has 1 pending paper proposal.
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