Youth and the Mediterranean: Exploring New Approaches to Dialogue and Cooperation
Call for Papers
Youth between the ages of 15 and 29 are the single largest and fastest expanding demographic group in the MENA region. Their role in putting dominant societal norms to a test and fuelling new social, political and cultural processes can hardly be overestimated. Youth were among the primary instigators for the outbreak of the Arab uprisings, as well as the most active demographic group to have challenged authoritarianism both before and after 2010. However, more than five years since the outbreak of the Arab uprisings, MENA youth still suffer from the highest unemployment rates in the world and the chronic lack of jobs and opportunities are widely considered a principal factor fuelling radical ideologies.
While many studies have focused on youth in the Arab world, it is increasingly rare to hear how young people themselves view and interpret current developments unfolding in their society and how these relate to the ongoing international debate on the future of the region.
The New-Med Research Network wants to give voice to this young generation, providing a platform for 8 young professionals to present new ideas and approaches to re-launch dialogue and cooperation on conflict, security and radicalisation in the MENA region. The aim is to broaden the debate by forging new links between generations, sectors and geographies and providing an alternative to the often European-dominated narratives. Candidates should be under the age of 32, hold an internationally valid passport from, or permanent residency in, one of the countries of the MENA region, and should be preferably based at a university, NGO, or media outlet.