Youth Alienation and Democracy
Fadi Nicholas Nassar discusses the lessons learned from contemporary crises, emphasizing the significant consequences of unresolved issues such as youth alienation by economies, political systems, violence, and authoritarianism. He notes that despite favoring democracy and justice-centered economic systems, prolonged crises erode confidence in democratic alternatives, as evidenced by mass youth migration. Nassar highlights the importance of distinguishing between informal politics, like protests, and formal politics, where youth play vital roles in elections and unions. Using Lebanon as an example, he points out that youth participation in protests and the formation of alternative political groups illustrate a desire for change. However, he warns that extended crises and the failure of democratic systems to deliver results can diminish trust in democracy, posing a critical challenge for the region. Nassar concludes that the current period is pivotal, with the response to injustices shaping an entire generation, stressing the need for resistance and transformation.
This video is part of the Center’s series on Collective & Human Security.
Speaker Biography
Fadi Nicholas Nassar is director of the Institute for Social Justice and Conflict Resolution and assistant professor of political science and international affairs at the Lebanese American University (LAU). He is also the US-Lebanon fellow at the Middle East Institute and a research fellow at the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, the oldest Lebanese-based think-tank. His work focuses on international humanitarian and relief interventions in fragile and conflict settings, democratization, and U.S. foreign policy and Middle Eastern politics.
He is the principal investigator of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York that focuses on resilience and inclusive governance in the post-2011 Arab landscape. He is also leading a series of projects aimed at finding sustainable pathways out of Lebanon’s compounded crises that are supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the European Union, and others. Fadi holds a PhD from the War Studies Department at King’s College London. A graduate of Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, he also received a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University.
