Children, youth, and civic (dis)engagement : Digital technology and citizenship

In this paper, I will discuss recent academic literature pertaining to youth civic engagement in the Western context and map some of the important changes in the field identified by these scholars. I am particularly interested in examining contemporary approaches to issues such as how youth are conceptualized; how citizenship, civic participation, and civic (dis)engagement are understood with respect to youth; and, what roles media and internet technologies are perceived to play in youth civic engagement. It is important to note that much work has been done on youth and engagement in the context of developing countries, however, this review will engage specifically with work in the Western context as an entry point into the broader issues and concerns.