Syrian Revolutionary Youth: The Lost and Found of Political Agency
Syrian Revolutionary Youth: The Lost and Found of Political Agency

Author(s): Hadia Kawikji
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Civil Society, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Transnational Press London
Keywords: Syrian revolutionary Youth; the lost and found of political agency; Syrian; revolutionary youth; political agency; political;
Summary/Abstract: With the cracking open of the political and civic space in 2011, Syrian youth were afforded the rare opportunity to emerge as direct and legitimately recognized political actors – something which had been denied them under the decades of repression of the Assad regime. First assuming the role of revolutionary vanguard and leading the protest movements calling for the downfall of the regime, the experience of Syrian youth in political representation was further honed through the formation of revolutionary councils. Yet despite this, Syrian youth were quickly sidelined as political actors. The revolutionary councils became isolated by institutions established by traditional elites, while young people themselves began delegating the representation of their demands to those more experienced in political affairs. This loss of representation, along with frustration with the actions (or lack thereof) of the international community, generated disillusionment among Syrian youth who had been passionate about the cause of political change. These dynamics, in turn, pushed youth revolutionaries to re-direct their activism towards local councils.

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