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To mark South Africa’s National Youth Day on June 16, the ISER invites you to discuss how the youth can be better empowered to shape democracy and the development policy agenda across the continent. This discussion will be based on a survey study by Afro-Barometer and will be led by Asafika Mpako and Nomalanga Mkhize as her key respondent.
Study short summary:
Although critics often cite lack of interest in politics among young people when it comes to political party participation and election voting, the study shows that the youth does in fact participate in politics but through unconventional channels and processes. These are mainly online political and social platforms and movements. They do this with the hope for political changes. The study also finds that although the youth form an important voting bloc they continue to remain under represented in meaningful decision making processes. What keeps them out are a number of factors, including legal barriers to hold public office and socio-cultural norms. This is especially true for young women. So, we need to discuss and figure out how some of the barriers can be overcome to improve youth participation and influence on political decisions that directly affect their needs.
Where and who: The event will be in a hybrid-mode, led by Asafika Mpako, who is the communications coordinator for southern Africa at Afrobarometer and responded to by Nomalanga Mkhize, Director of the School of Governmental and Social Sciences at the Nelson Mandela University.
When: 12 June 2024 from 14h00 to 15h45 SAT
For online registration and attendance click here OR copy and paste link below:
For in-person attendance: the ISER Annex Building, No. 7 Prince Alfred Street Rhodes University Campus
Email: mzukisi.kuse@ru.ac.za for any requirements
Special guest speaker: Asafika Mpako
Ms Asafika Mpako is the Communications Coordinator for Southern Africa at Afrobarometer. Previously, she worked at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation on enhancing democracy, governance and human rights in Africa. Her professional and academic experiences span four continents – Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.
Asafika holds a Bachelors degree from UCT, and Master’s degrees from Peking University and the London School of Economics. She has featured on the global list of 2023 Women of the Future, 50 Rising Stars in ESG and is also a recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
Respondent: Nomalanga Naledi Mkhize
Prof. Nomalanga Mkhize is an historian and community development practitioner. She holds an MA in History from Rhodes University and a PhD in Sociology from The University of Cape Town. Nomalanga Mkhize is a history professor at Nelson Mandela University and was a Sam Moyo Postdoctoral Fellowship at Rhodes University. She is currently the Director of the School of Governmental and Social Sciences at the Nelson Mandela University.
Moderator: Sam Sadian
Dr Sam Sadian is a research fellow of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at Rhodes University and a post-doctoral fellow at the University of the Western Cape. His doctoral dissertation focussed on overcoming the conceptual and empirical shortcomings of neo-Marxist and other productivistic approaches to modern social change in the humanities and social sciences. His Master’s research focused on the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor’s contributions towards an ontologically informed critique of procedural versions of liberalism.