The Paradox of Political Marginalisation: Young People and Political Power

Introduction

Political marginalisation, understood as the systematic underrepresentation of social groups in political office, constitutes a major democratic problem. By betraying the ideal of equal voice, it biases political decision making, challenges democratic legitimacy, and ultimately risks creating political alienation and discontent.

Yet, we fail to understand the persistence of the problem because extant research has not probed the underlying norms that exist in a society about what political power is, who can hold it, and how it can be exercised. Thus, while we know that members of underrepresented groups do not reach out for power to the same extent as others, we do not have a theory that can explain why the voices missing from politics seem to exclude themselves, while those already represented speak with great fervour.

Project Overview

YOPOW breaks new ground in the study of political marginalisation by locating its roots in societal norms about political power that make a lasting imprint already early in life.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework explains how societal norms affect young people through:

1. The messages they receive and internalise.
2. The unequal experiences they have with political power.

Methodology

Methodologically pioneering, the project combines machine-learning techniques and in-depth interpretations to detect how societal norms pattern the meaning of political power across societies and social groups.

Empirical Contributions

Empirically, YOPOW generates:

• The first-of-its-kind database of messages about political power directed at young people.
• Insights into their beliefs about power expressed in their own words.
• Novel data on youths’ early experiences with political power in political youth organisations.

Conclusion

This project will significantly improve our understanding of one of the most serious and persistent challenges for democracies of today and the future by exposing the societal norms that give rise to biased beliefs and eventually shape who is seen as fit for power among society’s youngest members.