Youth and Democratic Processes: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Inclusion, Mattering, and Well-being

The Arctic Youth (AY) Research Center at UiT The Arctic University of Norway is pleased to announce a call for papers for a scientific anthology and an international conference to be held 1-2 June 2026.

The conference, titled Youth and Democratic Processes: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Inclusion, Mattering, and Well-being, aims to explore how young people in different countries and contexts can contribute to democratic processes to build societies that are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. Recognizing that democracy and democratic processes can take diverse forms depending on cultural, social, political, and economic factors, the conference explores challenges and opportunities of empowering youth to drive lasting and meaningful change through innovative processes. Both the conference and the accompanying anthology aim to provide a platform for critical reflection and interdisciplinary dialogue on how to strengthen youth participation in shaping the future of democracy. The relevance of this theme lies in its potential to highlight and promote effective practices that enhance youth engagement, inclusion, and well-being in democratic processes.

The conference will feature keynote invited speakers and workshops, in which participants will present their papers and receive constructive feedback. Following the workshops, contributions will be reviewed, and selected papers will be invited for inclusion in a forthcoming scientific anthology. The tentative title of the anthology is Youth and Democratic Processes: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Inclusion, Mattering, and Well-being.

We invite scholarly contributions that address youth democratic processes from diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives. The aim is to gather innovative and critical research that explores ways to enhance youth engagement, fostering inclusive democratic practices, amplifying marginalized voices, and promoting sustainable and equitable societal change through innovative and participatory processes.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

• Mattering
• Inclusion
• Empowerment
• Prevention and health promotion
• Strength-based approaches: Positive focus and resource-oriented perspectives
• Democratic processes and citizenship
• Best practices and success stories
• Arctic contexts
• Indigenous peoples and minorities

The conference seeks to foster and advance innovative and transformative research in the fields of health, social and welfare studies, education studies, and law.

Deadlines and Submission Guidelines

• Extended abstract submission deadline: 1 February
  • Abstracts should be between 300 and 500 words and include 5 keywords.
  • Submissions must be in Word format, using Times New Roman, font size 12, with 1.5 line spacing.
  • References should follow APA 7th edition guidelines.
  • Abstracts must be written in English and submitted as email attachments to: var.mathisen@uit.no, rita.sorly@uit.no and louis.d.waterman-evans@uit.no
  • Selected authors will then be asked to submit a first draft of their article by 20 April to receive feedback at the conference.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and engaging in meaningful discussions on these critical and timely issues.