Problembilder av ungdomars politiska utanförskap - En studie av projektet ?Demokrati för alla?
Aims: The aim of this study is to describe how youth?s political exclusion is constructed as asocial problem. This is done through a study of a project which aim is to engage young peoplein politics.Method and theory: By interviewing the project?s manager and developer as well as eightparticipating young people different constructions of the problem of youth political exclusionhas been analyzed using the social constructionist perspective on social problems.Findings: The dominant perspective found in the empirical material includes framing youngpeople?s lack of political knowledge and self-confidence as the reason for their politicalexclusion. Even though the Youth Board (ungdomsstyrelsen) in Sweden officially views allyoung people as a resource, when youth politics are implemented through projects, this is notthe view that young people meet. Because projects need problems that can be solved throughwork with individuals, structural reasons (for example socioeconomic status) are neglected.Therefore the young people have to take full responsibility for their political exclusion.However, instead of framing young people as incompetent in political matters, it is arguedthat youth as a marginalized group have less access to alternative discourses and therefore areless likely to construct successful claims.