Youth Activism ─ An International Encyclopedia

If democratic societies are to survive as true democracies, they need citizens who are informed, concerned and active. How such citizens develop from childhood into adults is crucial information for educators, psychologist, young people, parents, politicians and many, many others. This watershed work brings an understanding to the disparate activist youth groups internationally as well as the interdisciplinary research that explores this phenomena. Featuring 185 original entries--from chatrooms, to grass roots movements, from gangs and politics to Riot GRRLS and Campus Crusade for Christ--this authoritative source lends insight and explanation to the history as well as contemporary forms of youth commitment today. First-person accounts from today's youth activists as well as adult activists illuminate the journey from young idealist to lifelong work.

The major categories that frame this work are advocacy for social causes; adolescent and youth development; education; historical examples; media and internet infulence and use; national examples of activism and social movement; organizations and programs; political context; postive youth development; social background factors, e.g., economic class, race, ethnicity, gender and culture; social relationships and networks; voices of activism; and youth culture.

Lonnie R. Sherrod is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Applied Developmental Psychology Program at Fordham University. He has a long histoy of research and policy work in youth development, including youth political development.

Constance A. Flanagan is Professor Youth Civic Development, College of Agricultural Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, University Park. She is a pioneer in research on youth civic engagement, inluding activism.

Ron Kassimir is Associate Dean of the New School for Social Research and Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science. Until September 2005, Kassimir was a Program Director at the Social Science Research Council where, among other things, he organized a collaborative research network on Youth and Globalization.

Amy K. Syvertsen is a Ph.D. student at Penn State University. Her scholarly interests include youth civic development and political activism and peer loyalty and social responsibility.