Youth Uprisings
Between Violence and Social Change**
By Dalia
Yousif
Dec.
13, 2005
"This
has to change", a sentence young people usually use to
express their new outlooks across the different cultures and
through ages. Many young people are hungry to make an impact.
Usually the growing awareness among the youth is coupling with
sense of urgency. The gap between their emotional desire for
change and the lack of authority may lead to depression. Another
gap is between their expectations and the realities which may be
caused by the selfishness of the older generation. These gaps
could explain why the young people may turn to use improper
reactions; among them is violence. They may direct violence
against themselves; in drugs addiction, for instance, and they
may use it against others in their riots.
The
question of identity is the heart of youth confusing experience
in life. This experience could be duplicated for the youth of a
minority or a marginalizing community. The psychological
suffering in finding their ways in their young ages is coupled
with lack of access to the advantages and the facilities
comparing to the majorities and the empowered people.
Overcoming
youth violence is a sophisticated question like any other social
phenomenon. Youth violence needs to be contextualized but
generally speaking, integrating youth in decision making
processes through different levels, creating representative
bodies for them to make their voices heard, avoiding
overcriticizing them without experience their problems …, etc
can be among the solutions. Of course solving youth problems
should not take a one-way, the youth themselves should work on
turning their anger into organized reactions & actions.
These organizing actions could pave the way for a needed social
change. A better world is possible if we believe in it and work
to make the dream real.