Youth in the Mediterranean Area: Facing the Anthropocene (1)

Tuesday, 8 July 2025: 13:00-14:45
Location: ASJE015 (Annex of the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences)
RC34 Sociology of Youth (host committee)

Language: English, French and Spanish

The Mediterranean region presents a challenging environment for young people to navigate their lives and the context in which they live, due to a variety of political, economic, and cultural factors. The youth in this region—which encompasses North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Middle East—face particular difficulties. In addition to high unemployment rates, political instability, migration processes, and educational disparities, environmental changes pose significant challenges for Mediterranean young people.

The region faces severe impacts from climate change, including rising sea levels, increased temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events, which threaten agriculture, tourism, and overall livelihoods. Mediterranean youth are increasingly aware of these threats and are leading efforts in environmental activism and entrepreneurship, advocating for and experimenting with sustainable practices to protect their future.

We invite papers that explore the multifaceted experiences and challenges faced by young people in the Mediterranean in relation to environmental change. We seek contributions that address topics such as:

  • the effects of climate change on young people’s lives;
  • the effects of climate change on young people’s trajectories, migration processes and identity;
  • youth-led initiatives in environmental activism and sustainability;
  • youth entrepreneurial projects in the environmental field.

Through this session, we aim to highlight the agency of Mediterranean youth and their potential in driving regional change. We welcome interdisciplinary approaches and diverse methodologies to enrich the understanding of these issues.

Session Organizers:
Maurizio MERICO, University of Salerno, Italy and Rachid JARMOUNI, University Moulay Ismail, Morocco
Chairs:
Rachid JARMOUNI, University Moulay Ismail, Morocco and Maurizio MERICO, University of Salerno, Italy
Oral Presentations
Mediterranean Youth, Mobility and/or Ecological Strategy of Resistance
Andrea CASAVECCHIA, University of Roma Tre, Italy
L’Entreprenariat Environnemental Des Jeunes Au Moyen Atlas Du Maroc
Mouhssine AITBA, University Moulay Ismail, Morocco
Distributed Papers
See more of: RC34 Sociology of Youth
See more of: Research Committees