Youth marginalisation as a faith-based concern in contemporary South African society: Introducing a research contribution

Abstract

The aim of this article is to introduce a special collection of articles focused on the topic ‘Youth marginalisation as a faith-based concern in contemporary South African society’. In meeting this aim the discussion begins by alluding to an international research project known under the acronym YOMA (Youth at the Margins: A Comparative Study of the Contribution of Faith-Based Organisations to Social Cohesion in South Africa and Nordic Europe) as the source that inspired the undertaking of the collection. This recognition thereupon leads the article in subsequent sections to give some more detailed recognition to the YOMA project but also to a larger corpus of recent scholarly contributions as the most evident manifestations to date of an emerging South African research engagement with the topical focus under discussion. From this vantage point the article then proceeds to present the current special collection as a concerted attempt to give further momentum to the emerging focus. Importantly, however, this is done by presenting a more elaborate argument about the imperative of interdisciplinary engagement within the topical focus and how such engagement defines the nature and scope of the present collection. This finally leads the discussion to conclude with a summary of the contributing articles.

“Here am I, send me!” The youth as co‑participants and agents of change

“…This is supported by various statistics stating that the youth are the most vulnerable group in South Africa and the rest of the world (cf. Aziz, 2020;Swart, 2018;Swartz & Nyamnjoh, 2018;Beukes & Van der Westhuizen, 2018;Nel, 2014Department of Social Development, 2013). Previous research has also shown that youth even feel vulnerable and excluded within the church and certain church structures (Beukes & Van der Westhuizen, 2016;Voas & Watt, 2014;King, 2012).…”

Young people at the margins in Pretoria Central: Are the faith-based organisations making a difference?

“…By way of brief recapitulation, YOMA was a research undertaking formally conducted during 2013-2016 by a group of South African and Nordic researchers. At its core, the project involved a case study research in selected localities both in South Africa and Finland and Norway, seeking to explore the manner and extent to which FBOs were touching the lives of the so-called marginalised youths in the selected localities 1 (Swart 2018:1; see also Swart 2013). With this exploration in mind, furthermore, a threefold conceptual focus was identified that would determine the theoretical and thematic scope of the project:…”