Aksel Sundström: Youth without representation

In his talk, Aksel Sundström presented the two first chapters of the co-authored book Youth without representation, due to be published in late 2022. This is the first comparative book that deals with the problem young adults’ absence in politics. Its chapter one introduces the problem that this project tackles and outlines the argument and its structure. The second chapter lays a theoretical foundation, centered on why youth representation matters, why young adults ought to have a larger descriptive political presence and how this issue is connected to a vicious cycle of political alienation among the young. 

Sundström has two major research interests: 1) the relationship between corruption and effective environmental politics, especially in low-income countries, and 2) the study of political representation, focusing on the absence of women and youth in political institutions (such as parliaments, cabinets, and local councils).

The CORE Lecture Series is organised by the CORE research group (Citizens, Opinion, Representation, and Elections) at the Department of Comparative Politics. Leading international scholars are invited to present their ongoing research on a broad range of topical issues for the research group.

The seminars are funded by the SAMEVAL grant awarded by the Norwegian Research Council.