The Politics of Deception
Youth Political Participation in an Age of Global Crises
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 2. September 2026
Book
Hardback
328 pages
978-0-367-35277-6 (ISBN)
Description
In a time of global crises, governments, international agencies and various experts claim to promote political participation that is inclusive of children and young people. This book details how these claims tend to be deceptive.
The Politics of Deception demonstrates how youth parliaments, councils and roundtables are governance exercises not just designed and tightly managed by adults but limited by them. Informed by adultist ways of seeing, young people are represented as vulnerable and citizens-in-waiting and cannot be taken seriously as political agents. Parallel to these formal initiatives, large numbers of young people are recognising the interconnected nature of contemporary crises, mobilising politically in diverse ways, from street marches to digital action, to push for equality, social justice and planetary survival. Animated by optimism and recognition that intergenerational solidarity is essential for creating a future in which humans and 'more-than humans' can flourish, Judith Bessant and Rob Watts illustrate how youth participation, as it is commonly practised, is deeply political, deceptive, highly contested and too often informed by outdated and harmful representations of young people.
This volume is for young people, researchers, policymakers, parents and educators wanting to better understand what is happening in the world and who appreciate the value of recognising young people's political capacity and right to help shape the world.
The Politics of Deception demonstrates how youth parliaments, councils and roundtables are governance exercises not just designed and tightly managed by adults but limited by them. Informed by adultist ways of seeing, young people are represented as vulnerable and citizens-in-waiting and cannot be taken seriously as political agents. Parallel to these formal initiatives, large numbers of young people are recognising the interconnected nature of contemporary crises, mobilising politically in diverse ways, from street marches to digital action, to push for equality, social justice and planetary survival. Animated by optimism and recognition that intergenerational solidarity is essential for creating a future in which humans and 'more-than humans' can flourish, Judith Bessant and Rob Watts illustrate how youth participation, as it is commonly practised, is deeply political, deceptive, highly contested and too often informed by outdated and harmful representations of young people.
This volume is for young people, researchers, policymakers, parents and educators wanting to better understand what is happening in the world and who appreciate the value of recognising young people's political capacity and right to help shape the world.
Reviews / Votes
"This inspiring book combines theoretical depth with practical concreteness to lay out a trenchant critique of the structures that block youth political participation in today's world and to imagine what it would take to create a more youth-inclusive future."John Wall, Rutgers University, Department of Childhood Studies
"An informed and detailed critique of ineffective and deceptive 'youth participation' programmes - contrasted with a whole realm of unofficial youth engagement, activism and dissent. A carefully-reasoned and troubling book, important not only for youth policy but for all concerned with the future of democracy."
Raewyn Connell, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney, Australia
"As head of an organisation led by younger Australians, I see policymakers' advocacy for youth participation is a superficial commitment which fails to translate into genuine participation. This timely book documents how and why authentic youth political participation is critical for restoring trust in our fading institutions."
Thomas Walker, CEO of Think Forward, a policy organisation founded and run by younger Australians
"The Politics of Deception recognises that something is 'not right' with the constant celebration of youth political participation. This straight talking and hard-hitting book reveals how high-minded claims of political projects having been led by and for youth turn out, on closer inspection, to be something else altogether.
Stuart Tannock, Associate Professor UCL Institute of Education
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
General, Postgraduate, Professional, and Undergraduate
Illustrations
3 s/w Tabellen
3 Tables, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
453 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-367-35277-6 (9780367352776)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Judith Bessant | Rob Watts
The Politics of Deception
Youth Political Participation in an Age of Global Crises
Book
approx. 09/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€52.50
Not yet published
Persons
Judith Bessant AM, FASSA, is a Distinguished Professor at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Her research is positioned in the intersections between youth studies, sociology, politics, history, technology-media studies, planetary and public health and youth participation.
Rob Watts FASSA, is Professor of Social Policy, RMIT University, Australia where he teaches politics, social theory and policy studies. He has published widely on young people, social movements and climate change, human rights, and state crime.
Rob Watts FASSA, is Professor of Social Policy, RMIT University, Australia where he teaches politics, social theory and policy studies. He has published widely on young people, social movements and climate change, human rights, and state crime.
Content
1. Introduction: Being political and youth participation; 2. Deception and youth participation: A heuristic; 3. The democratic crisis: The theory and practice of youth participation; 4. Democracy is no place for 'the people': What political theorists say about citizen participation; 5. International development and youth participation: Myth and reality; 6. 'In your dreams': Australian case studies of youth participation and government policy; 7. What young people are doing: Political participation by young people in a time of crises; 8. Children and young people's strategic climate litigation; 9. Children and Lowering the Voting Age: Democracy and youth participation; 10 'Children of the Anthropocene': A post-anthropocentric ontology and young people's politics; 11. Epilogue: Protocols for youth participation beyond the governance model