The international scientific conference “Youth Civic Participation: Decorative or Authentic? Formal or Meaningful?” will take place at the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) on 5 November 2025. Its aim is to foster both academic and practical discussion on the experiences and opportunities of youth civic participation in the context of threats to democracy, technological innovation, and geopolitical crises, with particular attention to new, unconventional, and “alternative” forms of engagement. The conference seeks to create a diverse and inclusive dialogue among researchers, youth policy-makers, youth workers, NGOs, educators, mentors of youth participation practices, and other stakeholders. A central role will also be given to the voices of young people - their experiences, perspectives, and ideas on how youth can act as a driving force for change. The conference is part of the annual international conference series “Culture Crossroads XIX.”
The complex and radical transformations of contemporary society compel young people to reassess their opportunities and frames of future perspectives. Social and political challenges raise not only crucial questions of collective and individual security, as well as physical and mental resilience, but also inspire the development of new participatory practices through which young people seek to influence ongoing processes. Youth can be at the forefront of both democratic value advocacy and anti-democratic movements, which once again highlights the need to revisit questions such as: How are the rights to participation exercised in practice? How should states, societies, and communities select the most effective tools for promoting youth participation? How can youth-centred approaches be applied in developing forms of engagement, particularly in educational contexts? How can authentic and effective participation be ensured - where young people are genuinely part of the process, have real influence, and are delegated decision-making power by adults? How can participation become meaningful, i.e., lead to positive change in issues important to youth and result in tangible outcomes?
We invite interested participants to submit abstracts of up to 250 words that reflect the diversity of youth participation practices. Submissions may address theoretical and empirical studies, case studies, and methodological reflections that highlight the complexity of youth research, as well as interdisciplinary perspectives. Proposals are welcome on the following and related topics concerning transformations of youth participation in the 21st century:
- Democratic culture and youth participation;
- Traditional and new (“alternative”) forms of youth participation and activism;
- Fostering youth-centred participation and overcoming barriers;
- Youth involvement in addressing global and local issues;
- Youth participation in educational contexts (formal, non-formal, cultural education, etc.);
- Participation promotion and youth policy;
- Youth work and methods of engagement;
- Authentic and meaningful youth participation;
- Artistic creativity, cultural practices, and participation.
Following the conference, a call for papers will be announced for a special issue of the journal “Culture Crossroads” (indexed in Scopus).
Abstracts in English should be submitted via the online form by 20 September 2025: https://forms.office.com/e/jfD49sg0U5
Notification of acceptance: 1 October 2025.
Presentation length: 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute discussion.
Participation in the conference is free of charge. The conference is primarily planned as an on-site event at the “Angārs” (Tallinas Street 10-3, Riga). Depending on the number of registered participants, remote participation and live-streaming options may also be considered. Conference language: English.
The event is organised within the framework of the State Research Programme project “Preconditions of authentic youth participation in formal and non-formal education / UNFRAMED” (No. VPP-IZM-Izglītība-2023/6-0002) and the Fundamental and applied research project “Striving Towards Participatory Engagement in Museums: Inquiry into Museum Education Practice in Latvia / MEET”.
For inquiries, please contact: Sabīne Ozola, Research Assistant, Institute of Culture and Arts, Latvian Academy of Culture (sabine.ozola@lka.edu.lv).