Why do so many young people feel that politics is not for them? Why do fewer girls than boys imagine themselves as future state leaders, and why is politics less appealing to ethnic minority youth, or to young people growing up in economic disadvantage?
YOPOW argues that the answer starts with how political power is portrayed in society. From children’s news over the textbooks used in schools to the politicians they encounter on TikTok, young people constantly receive messages about who is fit for power.
YOPOW is a cross-national research project based at Aarhus University. We examine the messages children and youth receive about political power, what they believe about political power, and what happens when they first encounter it themselves. Our goal is to understand and ultimately help tackle the roots of political marginalisation among young people.
What do children's news, school books, and politicians' social media tell young people about who holds power and who doesn't?
Work package 1 builds a unique database of messages about politics directed at children and young people. Drawing on school curricula, children's TV news programmes, and politicians' social media accounts from multiple countries, we use computational text and image analysis to uncover the ways political power is portrayed to young audiences.
Which beliefs do children and young people have about what political power is, who can hold it, and how it can be exercised?
Work package 2 interviews up to 200 children and young people per country across selected schools. To learn about how *they* see the world, as described in their own words, we ask them to tell stories about people with and without power.
What happens when young people step into political spaces, and who actually feels they belong there?
Work package 3 follows young people active in student councils and party youth organisations. Using a custom diary app, participants log their experiences as they happen, giving us insights into who feels seen, heard, and fit for political life.