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African Youth Facing the Global Challenges of the 21th Century: Life Trajectories and Social Practices
 
PIIS086919080011540-1-1
DOI10.31857/S086919080011540-1
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Maiya Yadova 
Affiliation: Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences, RAS
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameVostok. Afro-Aziatskie obshchestva: istoriia i sovremennost
EditionIssue 5
Pages153-160
Abstract

<em >The article is concerned with the transformation of life trajectories and social practices of young people of the "fragile" States of Africa in the XXI century. The author is trying to disprove the overly critical and problematized research approach, according to which African youth grown up in the conditions of the worst socio-economic deprivation is considered as a generation that threatens the security of the African continent and prosperous world countries. It was demonstrated that today, new generations of Africans are social actors with a strong modernization potential capable of bringing about positive change in African society.<em ><em >Young Africans' perceptions of success and the specific features of successful life and professional strategies in permanently crisis society are the subject of analysis.<em ><em >It reveals how globalization and glocalization trends are reflecting and combining in the individual destinies of young people of the African continent. Modern trends and "modes" of growing up in Africa, Russia and in Western countries are comparing.<em ><em >Xenophobia, violence and the involvement of children and youth in military conflicts are considered as major risks to the well-being of new generations of African countries. Many African countries, escaping the influence of traditional culture, are moving towards a post-modern, prefigurative type of culture where older generations learn from younger ones. Young people have to be innovators in ways of career making and mastering actual social practices. The hypothesis is that the social and personal resources of new generations of Africans can help the African continent to lift out from the outsiders into the world political and economic stage.

KeywordsAfrican youth, African countries, life trajectories, social practices, professional strategies, global challenges.
Received14.09.2020
Publication date31.10.2020
Number of characters28415
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1 АФРИКАНСКАЯ МОЛОДЕЖЬ ПЕРЕД ГЛОБАЛЬНЫМИ ВЫЗОВАМИ XXI ВЕКА: ЖИЗНЕННЫЕ ТРАЕКТОРИИ И СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ ПРАКТИКИ М.А. ЯДОВА Институт научной информации по общественным наукам РАН, г. Москва, Россия ORCID ID: >>>> m.yadova@mail.ru Резюме: Статья посвящена теме трансформации жизненных траекторий и социальных практик молодежи в «хрупких» государствах Африки в XXI веке. Автор делает попытку опровергнуть чересчур критичный и проблематизированный исследовательский подход, согласно которому африканская молодежь, выросшая в условиях сильнейшей социально-экономической депривации, рассматривается как поколение, угрожающее безопасности африканского континента и благополучных мировых держав. Показано, что сегодня новые поколения африканцев – социальные акторы, которые обладают мощным модернизационным потенциалом и способны привнести позитивные изменения в жизнь африканского общества. Анализируются представления молодых африканцев об успехе и специфические особенности успешных жизненных и профессиональных стратегий в перманентно кризисном социуме. Выясняется, как отражаются и сочетаются глобализационные и глокализационные тренды в индивидуальных судьбах молодых жителей африканского континента. Сравниваются современные тенденции и «режимы» взросления в Африке, России и странах западной культуры. В числе основных рисков, препятствующих благополучному развитию новых поколений африканских стран, рассматриваются проблемы ксенофобии, насилия и вовлечения детей и молодежи в вооруженные конфликты. Многие африканские страны, уходя из-под влияния традиционной культуры, переориентируются на характерный для постсовременности префигуративный тип культуры, в рамках которого старшие поколения учатся у младших. Молодым людям приходится быть новаторами в способах построения карьеры и освоения актуальных социальных практик. Делается предположение о том, капитал социальных и личностных ресурсов новых генераций африканцев способен помочь вывести африканский континент из аутсайдеров на мировой политической и экономической арене.  Ключевые слова: африканская молодежь, страны Африки, жизненные траектории, социальные практики, профессиональные стратегии, глобальные вызовы.
2 AFRICAN YOUTH FACING THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES OF THE XXI CENTURY: LIFE TRAJECTORIES AND SOCIAL PRACTICES Maiya A. YADOVA
3 Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences, RAS, Moscow, Russia ORCID ID: >>>> m.yadova@mail.ru
4 Abstract: The article is concerned with the transformation of life trajectories and social practices of young people of the "fragile" States of Africa in the XXI century. The author is trying to disprove the overly critical and problematized research approach, according to which African youth grown up in the conditions of the worst socio-economic deprivation is considered as a generation that threatens the security of the African continent and prosperous world countries. It was demonstrated that today, new generations of Africans are social actors with a strong modernization potential capable of bringing about positive change in African society. Young Africans' perceptions of success and the specific features of successful life and professional strategies in permanently crisis society are the subject of analysis. It reveals how globalization and glocalization trends are reflecting and combining in the individual destinies of young people of the African continent. Modern trends and "modes" of growing up in Africa, Russia and in Western countries are comparing. Xenophobia, violence and the involvement of children and youth in military conflicts are considered as major risks to the well-being of new generations of African countries. Many African countries, escaping the influence of traditional culture, are moving towards a post-modern, prefigurative type of culture where older generations learn from younger ones. Young people have to be innovators in ways of career making and mastering actual social practices. The hypothesis is that the social and personal resources of new generations of Africans can help the African continent to lift out from the outsiders into the world political and economic stage. Keywords: African youth, African countries, life trajectories, social practices, professional strategies, global challenges.

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