Youth activism in political parties: A case study with university students

Part of the emerging field of youth studies in Brazil, this communication explores and analysizes the experience of young political party activists. These activists are changing how we understand political action. They are creating new groups and political demands engendering alternative ways of mobilizing political activism and transforming what occurs in traditional politically engaged civic practices, such as political parties, trade unions, etc. Interestingly however, the parties continue to rally the support of these young people. I here present a research that focuses on the experience of young activists, the paths they took in joining the political parties, their actual experience in the parties, the time invested and how the party experiences relate to other aspects of their lives. By individual interviews with university students it was possible to reveal their engagement in political parties. A range of selection criteria was developed that enabled bringing together a very diverse group drawing from all social backgrounds; young people of the intellectual elite, the middle and lower classes were among the 21 activists interviewed. The young militants fall into different categories of activism – Student Movement, grassroots organizations, social organizations, internal workings of the party, etc. They also relate their experiences: friendships, romantic relationships, family, career choices and labor market. The study, result of my PhD thesis, tracks the political engagement of these young activists, changes in their investment and mobility through various aspects of party activism composing a mosaic of experiences.