Explanatory models of youth electoral participation (Based on the panel discussion of the International Conference, Montreal, June, 2016)

Abstract

The article analyzes the papers and discussion of the panel session on “Explaining the Electoral Participation of Young Citizens” in the international scientific conference held at McGill University (Montreal) in June 2016 on the problems of the political participation ofyouth. The content ofthe papers ofscientists from the US, Canada, Russia and Belgium cover the issues of electoral behavior of young people in these countries. Authors also characterize the key themes of scientific debate concerning the problem of improvement the political activity of youth. It is shown that the new complex processes are adequate to the changes occurring in the field of information technologies and related to the widespread decline of the youth political participation, both in long-established democracies of Europe and North America, and in the transit countries. We present the results of the panel discussion.

Keywords

• youth
• electoral participation
• electoral system
• political satire
• ethno-cultural factor
• internet