Debates of the European Parliament
In recent times we have had the opportunity to analyse politicisation and depoliticisation, focusing attention on young people. However, most of the conclusions of sociological studies dealing with young people are also applicable to other age groups, although of varying intensity. Future trends are sometimes perceived more strongly among young people, other times new issues are raised when it comes to analyzing this age group, etc.
As underlined by Sociology of Age, youth – and the same is true of other age groups – is a biological concept that is not easy to define and define, which can only be understood within society. How many years are there a young person? What characteristics should be associated with youth? Well, the answers to these questions and similar ones will be different at each time, because the social understanding of youth has been changing throughout history, and in the same way the answers will also change depending on the territory or the ideological perspective.
If it is not easy to define youth, entering the equation the processes of politicization and depoliticization, we find a field full of slots. Here too, as in most social research, it is essential to leave out dominant views in society, or what is called common sense. And that is that the understanding of the dominant policy in society, which says that politics is above all a question of institutions, parties and elections, if it needs to be disseminated, if we want to understand politicization. That is part of the policy, it is important, but a broader vision is essential, especially if new dynamics and trends are to be understood. The initiatives that aim to contribute to the community must therefore be taken into account in their scale.
Material and cultural resources are the fundamental basis for politicization: having time to participate in politics and think about politics, for example.
To understand the new dynamics of (des)politicization, we must mention individualization as a central trend affecting society. When structural explanations lose weight, one becomes responsible for their situation. Therefore, the self only seeks happiness, success, tranquility, money or whatever. In this sense, individualization is, therefore, the main and even the driving force of depoliticization, insofar as politics requires collective action or, at least, the reference of the community. But at the same time, this context of individualization has another side, and micropolitics appears as a new political and in a way successful action: Initiatives based on the self, which are carried out on a day-to-day basis, which have political intentions. The relationship between these actions and the political structures – parties, social movements – and the impact they achieve are important keys.
In addition to the individualization process, the main key that influences the politicization of individuals, not only young people, is the availability of resources for politics. Material and cultural resources are the basic basis for politicizing them: from the time of participation and of thinking about politics, to educating in a community environment where politics is important, in childhood, in school, in the neighborhood or in the village, etc.
Are we then facing a process of depoliticization in society? Well, the crisis of traditional politics is not in itself a political crisis, although in a society where the I outweigh the Gu, the role of politics is difficult.
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