Youth in Africa: Agents of Change or Ticking Time Bomb?

Continuing education course (28-29 November 2019)

Nearly 70 percent of Africa’s population is under 30 years old. This phenomenon is often perceived as a ticking time bomb. Unemployed, restless youth are feared to become either clandestine immigrants to Europe or violent actors of civil unrest in edgy African terrains. At the same time, young African entrepreneurs, fresh-faced artists and highly qualified urban dwellers form part of the recently much-hyped "Africa rising" and the "new middle class", representing the continent’s economic booster and creative future.

By looking at various forms and images of being young in Africa, this course avoids snap judgments and classifications. Participants engage with case studies and different theoretical and practical perspectives on the overall theme. They develop a nuanced picture of young African "makers and breakers" on the continent and beyond.