Youth without Representation

Abstract

An electronic version of this book is freely available, thanks to the support of libraries working with Knowledge Unlatched (KU). KU is a collaborative initiative designed to make high quality books Open Access for the public good. More information about the initiative and links to the Open Access version can be found at www.knowledgeunlatched.org The University of Michigan Press's open access publishing program is made possible thanks to additional funding from the University of Michigan Office of the Provost and the generous support of contributing libraries. Contents List of Figures ix List of Tables xi Acknowledgments xiii Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Why We Need Increased Youth Representation 2.1. Youth: An Important Group of Study 2.2. The Importance of Group Representation for Youth 2.2.1. Five Criteria for Why Young Adults Need Descriptive Representation 2.3. Benefits and Costs of Increased Descriptive Representation of Youth 2.4. The Vicious Cycle of Political Alienation 2.4.1. Youths' Lack of Political Interest and Knowledge 2.4.2. Youths' Lack of Conventional Political Participation 2.5. The Threefold Link between Young Adults' Low Political Interest and Knowledge, Their Low Electoral Participation, and Their Lack of Representation in Office 2.6. The Endemic Nature of the Vicious Cycle of Youths' Political Alienation 2.7. Increased Youth Representation: One Way to Break the Vicious Cycle of Youth Alienation 2.7.1. The Link between Greater Numbers of Young Candidates and Higher Youth Turnout 2.7.2. The Degree to Which Young Politicians Represent Young Voters 2.7.3. The Degree to Which Young Politicians Support Policies5 Important to Young Adults 2.8. The Youth Representation Literature and Our Contribution vi Contents Chapter 3. Youths' Underrepresentation in National Parliaments 3.1. The Magnitude of Youths' Underrepresentation in Parliament 3.2. Youth Representation in Legislatures over Time in Australia, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom 3.3. Explanatory Factors for the Variation in Youth Representation across Countries 3.3.1. Institutional Determinants of Youth Representation 3.3.2. Socioeconomic and Cultural Determinants of Youth Representation 3.4. Research Design 3.5. Results 3.6. Discussion Chapter 4. Youth Representation across Party Delegations in Parliament 4.1. Youths' (under) Representation across Party Delegations 4.2. Young Adults in Australian, German, French, and British Party Delegations over Time 4.3. Explanatory Factors for the Variation in Youth Representation across Parties 4.4. Research Design 4.5. Results 4.6. Discussion Chapter 5. Young Politicians in Cabinet 5.1. The Magnitude of Youths' Underrepresentation in Cabinet 5.2. Youth Representation in Cabinet over Time in Australia,