1st Edition
Youth Participation in the Caribbean Politics and Development
Critically examining narratives of participation in governance and development, this volume adds Caribbean voices and experiences to the global discourse on youth participation. The essays provide empirical case studies of institutions, practices and processes of youth engagement in the politics of Caribbean development, orienting the reader to the political culture of the Caribbean and the position of youth within small societies.
Covering experiences at intergovernmental, national and local levels, as well as formal and informal modes of participation, it examines how young people have organised themselves or have been organised to engage with the state and with community agents in politics, public policy and activism. It illustrates the heterogeneity of youth political participation, employing multi- disciplinary, multi- level and mixed- method analyses from the fields of demography, political science, social policy, development studies and youth development. Critical themes addressed include regional governance, democratic representation, online engagement, local governance and community development. In exploring these themes, the book discusses the legitimacy and inclusiveness of governance in relation to age, gender, race, geography and socio-economic status.
The findings will be useful to students, researchers and policymakers alike who are keen to improve governance and contribute to inclusive sustainable development in the Caribbean.
Part I: Contextualising Youth Participation in the Caribbean
1. Introducing Youth Participation as a Political Imperative for Caribbean Development
Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts
2. A Review of the Socio-Political Context of Youth Participation in the Caribbean
Henry Wallice Charles and Madgerie Jameson-Charles
3. Understanding the Demographic Imperative: Implications of Historical and Projected Population Dynamics for Youth Policy
Godfrey St. Bernard
Part II: (Trans)National Participation and Representation
4. Rethinking Youth Participation in CARICOM Regional Governance
Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts
5. Reflections on National Youth Organization and Representation: Lessons from Saint Lucia
Mario Michel
6. Like Walking a Tight Rope: Leadership, Youth Empowerment and Organisational Culture in Political Youth Wings in Trinidad and Tobago
Amílcar Sanatan
7. Aspirations of Young Female Leaders in Transitioning to Elective Politics in Barbados
Jason Francis
8. Youth Mobilising Youth to Vote: An Examination of a Youth-Led Voter Education Initiative in Guyana
Madgerie Jameson-Charles and Henry Wallice Charles
Part III: Participation in Local Governance
9. The Political Nature of Informal Youth Participation: Paint Jamaica in Downtown Kingston
Tahere Si’isi’ialafia-Mau
10. Transparency and Accountability: Capacity-Building for Young Social Auditors in Belize
Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts and Gerardo Berthin
Biography
Dr Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts is a Jamaican who writes about the politics of development with special attention to Caribbean experiences of governance, regionalism and youth development. She explores these themes in her book and edited collections including The Politics of Integration: Caribbean Sovereignty Revisited (2013), ‘Youthscapes’ of Development in the Caribbean and Latin America (2014) and Pan- Caribbean Integration: Beyond CARICOM (2018). She founded the SALISES "50/50 Youth" Research Cluster at the University of the West Indies and now serves as Research Manager in the Economics, Youth and Sustainable Development Directorate of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
