7.30pm. Thursday 23^rd April 2015 at at The Victoria, 48 John Bright Street, Birmingham, B1 1BN

Recent UK research reveals young people to be politically disengaged, fatalistic and pessimistic about politics, and placing little faith in politicians. All this makes them less likely to vote. They believe their elected representatives should be more diverse and accessible, less stuffy in their appearance, and reaching out to them on issues they can relate to.

With better education about politics in schools, young people say, they might make more informed choices at the ballot box and get more involved in political life.  However they also think that their generation does politics differently, through such means as petitions and boycotts.

Voter turnout is falling right across the population, but older people are still more likely to vote than the young.  What does this mean for the future of democracy? With campaigns to encourage young voter registration, proposals for youth manifestos and assemblies, and plans for social media outreach among the political parties, are we in danger of seeing everything all our political problems through the eyes of the young?

Speakers

Matt Henn is Professor of Social Research within the Division of Politics and International Relations at Nottingham Trent University.  He has researched extensively on the subject of young people and politics and contributed to Beyond the Youth Citizenship Commission: Young People and Politics (Political Studies Association 2014) and Democracy and Protest (Merlin Press, 2003).

Dr Jennie Bristow is an associate of the Centre for Parenting Culture Studies at the University of Kent. She is author of Baby Boomers and Generational Conflict (Palgrave, May 2015) and Standing up to Supernanny (Imprint Academic 2009). She is also co-author of Parenting Culture Studies (Palgrave 2014) and Licensed to Hug (Civitas 2010).

Candice Holdsworth is founder and editor of Imagine Athena. Candice has an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics, and can usually be found discussing ideas and culture. Her writings also feature on Thought Leader and On Netflix Now .

The salon is produced and chaired by Rosamund Cuckston.

Recommended Readings

Young people don't vote because politics is stupid, not us 

Getting young people to vote: from #Vote Selfish to Bite the Ballot

A manifesto for youth: how do we get young people interested in politics?

Twenty somethings, call off the generational jihad