Sarah Pickard offers a detailed and wide-ranging assessment of electoral and non-electoral political participation of young people in contemporary Britain, drawing on perspectives and insights from youth studies, political science and political sociology.

1. Introduction: From 'Apathetic Youth' to DIO Politics and the 'Youthquake'. - Part 1. Terminology, Concepts and Debates on Young People's Political Participation. - 2. Young People, Youth and Generations. - 3. Defining and Measuring Political Participation and Young People. - 4. The Political Life Cycle, Period Effect, Generational Effects and the 'Youth Vote'. - 5. Young People, Citizenship and Citizenship Education. - Part 2. Young People, Political Parties and Electoral Participation. - 6. Political Parties, Political Leaders, Youth Policies and Young People. - 7. Youth Wings and Student Wings of Political Parties. - 8. Young People, Voter Registration, Voting, Elections and Referendums. - 9. Young People, the Voting Age and Votes at 16. - 10. Young People and the 2017 General Election: 'The Youthquake'. - Part 3. Young People and Non-electoral Political Participation. - 11. Trade Unions, Unionism and Young People. - 12. Young People and DIO Politics: Do-It-Ourselves Political Participation. - 13. Young People, Protest and Dissent. - 14. Criminalisation and Repression of Young People's Political Protest. - 15. Conclusions. 

Sarah Pickard offers a detailed and wide-ranging assessment of electoral and non-electoral political participation of young people in contemporary Britain, drawing on perspectives and insights from youth studies, political science and political sociology.  This comprehensive book enquires into the approaches used by the social sciences to understand young people’s politics and documents youth-led evolutions in political behaviour. After unpicking key concepts including ‘political participation,’ ‘generations,’ the ‘political life-cycle,’ and the ‘youth vote,’ Pickard draws on a combination of quantitative and qualitative research to trace the dynamics operating in electoral political participation since the 1960s. This includes the relationship between political parties, politicians and young people, youth and student wings of political parties, electoral behaviour and the lowering of the voting age to 16. Pickard goes on to discuss personalised engagement through what she calls young people’s (DIO) Do-It-Ourselves political participation in online and offline connected collectives. The book then explores young people’s political dissent as part of a global youth-led wave of protest.This holistic book will appeal to anyone with an interest in young people, politics, protest and political change.

“Politics, Protest and Young People is an outstanding piece of scholarship, delivered in a thoroughly engaging style, and placing the current wave of youth protest into its historical context. The book is an unmissable read for students and researchers interested in youth civic and political engagement.” (James Sloam, Reader in Politics, Royal Holloway, University of London, co-author Youthquake 2017: The Rise of Young Cosmopolitans in Britain (Palgrave, 2019))“This is a thoroughly researched, engaging book that finally buries the notion that young people in 21st century Britain are apathetic. They are motivated by policy issues, and are politically active in both elections and protests. Young people have created new, authentic forms of political participation that Pickard innovatively describes as DIO (Do-It-Ourselves).” (Ariadne Vromen, Professor of Political Sociology, University of Sydney, author Digital Citizenship and Political Engagement (Palgrave, 2017)) “Dr Sarah Pickard is a foremost scholar and researcher in the field of youth political participation – her new book offers critical insights that will undoubtedly inform thinking and shape debate within this field for years to come.” (Matt Henn, Professor of Social Research, Nottingham Trent University, co-author Youthquake 2017: The Rise of Young Cosmopolitans in Britain (Palgrave, 2019)).“Young people are the future of democracy, but many, perhaps most, are alienated from politics as it is practiced in contemporary liberal democracies. This is the issue with which this book engages in an accessible and stimulating way. It should be read by those interested in democracy’s future.” (David Marsh, Professor of Political Sociology, co-author Young People and Politics in the UK (Palgrave, 2007)).“Addressing political participation of young people in institutional and non-institutional forms (from electoral behavior and party membership to alternative lifestyle and protest), this most interesting research shows how the precarious and repressed generation of young citizens nowadays is very much involved in creative politics and pivotal in producing progressive political innovations.” (Donatella della Porta, Professor, Scuola normale superiore, Firenze, author Social Movements in Times of Austerity (Polity, 2015))“While focused on Britain, Politics, Protest and Young People offers manifold insights on young people’s involvement in politics more generally. With this outstanding book, Sarah Pickard bridges the traditional divides between electoral and nonelectoral political participation, as well as between quantitative and qualitative research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of young people’s politics.” (Marco Giugni, Professor, University of Geneva, co-author Street Citizens: Protest Politics and Social Movement Activism in the Age of Globalization(Cambridge University Press, 2019)).“This book is a must read for all those interested in the way young people are now playing a major political role in contemporary Britain.  Based on solid research and accessibly written, Dr Sarah Pickard offers highly original and provocative insight into the ways young people are reshaping the future of British electoral and non-electoral politics.” (Judith Bessant, Professor RMIT University, Melbourne, author Democracy Bytes: New Media, New Politics and Generational Change (Palgrave, 2014)).“In this supremely important and very timely study Sarah Pickard dispels, once and for all and in rich empirical detail, a series of potent and pervasive myths about youth political engagement and participation In Britain.  Highly recommended.” (Colin Hay, Professor, Sciences Po, Paris, France, author Why We Hate Politics (Polity, 2006)).“As age becomes one of the biggest dividing lines incontemporary politics, Sarah Pickard has written a timely and engaging book, full of facts and figures and insights into young people's participation in both mainstream and more challenging political activity.  A great read for anyone interested in the past, the present and the future.” (Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London, co-lead ESRC Party Members Project, author The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron (Polity, 2nd edition 2016).“Politics, Protest and Young People turns a welcome interdisciplinary gaze on youth political participation in Britain – but in so doing offers analytical insights and critical methodologies for interrogating our own contexts, wherever we find ourselves in the world. Sarah Pickard pulls off an impressive feat of explaining in-depth how young people’s political participation is kaleidoscopic: an ever changing interaction between generation, dissent, voting, citizenship education and what she calls “Do-It-Ourselves” politics. She combines theory, data and thoughtful commentary to show how and why young citizens are using and reimagining their political agency. A fabulous contribution to this contemporary phenomenon in Youth Studies, Sociology and Political Science.” (Sharlene Swartz, University of Cape Town, South Africa; President Sociology of Youth research committee RC34, International Sociological Association (ISA), co-editor Oxford Handbook of Global South Youth Studies (OUP, 2020)) “Addressing political participation of young people in institutional and non-institutional forms (from electoral behavior and party membership to alternative lifestyle and protest), this most interesting research shows how the precarious and repressed generation of young citizens nowadays is very much involved in creative politics and pivotal in producing progressive political innovations.” (Donatella della Porta, Professor, Professor of Political Science, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy)  “In this supremely important and very timely study, Sarah Pickard dispels, once and for all and in rich empirical detail, a series of potent and pervasive myths about youth political engagement and participation in Britain. Highly recommended.” (Colin Hay, Professor, Sciences Po Paris, France) “Politics, Protest and Young People turns a welcome interdisciplinary gaze on youth political participation in Britain – but in so doing offers analytical insights and critical methodologies for interrogating our own contexts, wherever we find ourselves in the world. Sarah Pickard pulls off an impressive feat of explaining in-depth how young people’s political participation is kaleidoscopic: an ever changing interaction between generation, dissent, voting, citizenship education and what she calls “Do-It-Ourselves” politics. She combines theory, data and thoughtful commentary to show how and why young citizens are using and reimagining their political agency. A fabulous contribution to this contemporary phenomenon in youth studies, sociology and political science.” (Sharlene Swartz, University of Cape Town, South Africa, and President of Sociology of Youth Research Committee RC34, International Sociological Association (ISA))“Politics, Protest and Young People is an outstanding piece of scholarship, delivered in a thoroughly engaging style, and placing the current wave of youth protest into its historical context. The book is an unmissable read for students and researchers interested in youth civic and political engagement." (James Sloam, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)“This is a thoroughly researched, engaging book that finally buries the notion that young people in 21st century Britain are apathetic. They are motivated by policy issues, and are politically active in both elections and protests. Young people have created new, authentic forms of political participation that Pickard innovatively describes as DIO (Do-It-Ourselves).” (Ariadne Vromen, University of Sydney, Australia) “Young people are the future of democracy, but many, perhaps most, are alienated from politics as it is practiced in contemporary liberal democracies. This is the issue with which this book engages in an accessible and stimulating way. It should be read by those interested in democracy’s future.” (David Marsh, University of Canberra, Australia) “This book is a must read for all those interested in the way young people are now playing a major political role in contemporary Britain.  Based on solid research and accessibly written, Dr Sarah Pickard offers highly original and provocative insight into the ways young people are reshaping the future of British electoral and non-electoral politics.” (Judith Bessant, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia) “As age becomes one of the biggest dividing lines in contemporary politics, Sarah Pickard has written a timely and engaging book, full of facts and figures and insights into young people's participation in both mainstream and more challenging political activity.  A great read for anyone interested in the past, the present and the future.” (Tim Bale, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of London, UK) “Sarah Pickard is a foremost scholar and researcher in the field of youth political participation – her new book offers critical insights that will undoubtedly inform thinking and shape debate within this field for years to come.” (Matt Henn, Professor of Social Research, Nottingham Trent University, UK) “While focused on Britain, Politics, Protest and Young People offers manifold insights on young people’s involvement in politics more generally. With this outstanding book, Sarah Pickard bridges the traditional divides between electoral and nonelectoral political participation, as well as between quantitative and qualitative research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of young people’s politics.” (Marco Giugni, Professor, University of Geneva, Switzerland)

Highly comprehensive and up-to-date overview of youth politics in the UK from historical analyses to the 2017 general election and climate change strikes. Includes topical discussion on topics such as votes at 16, DIO participation, and the role of new technologies. Strong crossover with political sociology, politics and youth studies.

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