Youth Activism in Egypt

After nearly a decade of political demobilization, popular support for the Palestinian intifada in 2000 has stimulated the resurgence of youth activism, this time breaking with many of the taboos that characterized Egyptian life for several decades. Like much of the Arab world, Egypt is witnessing a youth bulge or “period in which the proportion of youth in the population increases significantly compared to other age groups” Today, youth constitute approximately one third of the population, a population that has been historically excluded on the political and economic level due to policy failures. While marginalized as a social group, they continue to entertain high expectations due to urban exposure and education, and are therefore amongst the most politically mobilized groups in Egyptian politics.

The views represented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arab Reform Initiative, its staff, or its board.