This thesis addresses the issue of political manipulation between those-in-power and young people. It studies how those-in-power strategically manipulate young people with the intention of maintaining the status quo, which only perpetuates the existing societal and political conditions and existing power structures. Through examination of the meaning of the term ideology and analysis of ideological state apparatus, with emphasis on the educational and informational ISA, this thesis outlines the activities of those-in-power, their political behavior and the way they construct reality. The main part focuses on young people as a demographic group and their socio-political participation. On the one hand, it shows the deeply rooted political patterns, which classify young people as passive, merely observers of society. On the other hand, it shows how young people make use of alternative practices that are the consequence of technological developments, heterogenic communications and spatial dispersion. This thesis then analyses how those-in-power manipulate young people into making use of traditional practices of democratic systems, through which they draw the young people towards the ideas of active citizenship. Young people are, as such, the subject of political manipulation, where those-in-power through conventional practices of participation – primarily taking part in the elections – systematically divert attention away from the new-age socio-political initiatives that young people are introducing.
|
