From global climate change demonstrations and strikes to protests against ruling elites, corruption, and inequality, the world witnessed mass youth protests in the last year. Despite youth’s remarkable political mobilization, their messages are often devalued or ignored. This is mainly related with the contradictory perceptions of youth as being ‘troublemakers’ or ‘victims’, or ‘agents of change’. This talk focused on how youth can contribute to peace and security once society recognizes its agency within the realm of international relations.

Dr. Cihan Dizdaroğlu (@CDizdaroglu) is a Marie-Curie fellow and assistant professor at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) at Coventry University. He retains a lecturer position in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Kadir Has University and serves as an associate editor of the Journal of International Relations (Uluslararası İlişkiler). Dr. Dizdaroğlu holds a PhD in international relations from Kadir Has University.