Abstract
This dissertation investigates why political actors engage young people in public policy. It uses an interpretive lens, focusing on recent educational reforms in Ireland and Flanders. Evidence was collected through a thematic analysis of relevant documents (policy papers, parliamentary records, grey literature) and 39 in-depth interviews with (senior) policy makers.
The dissertation's primary aim is to explain what motivated political actors to initiate and sustain (or not) a youth participation process. It finds that public policy and normative motives are dominant in Ireland, creating room for meaningful and sustained initiatives. By contrast, the dominance of political motives in Flanders results in a less robust series of activities. The research employs Ruostetsaari's work on responsive elites to guide a deeper examination of (1) the recruitment and (2) the coherence of policy makers across the two cases. These two dimensions explain much, though not all, of the documented divergence in attitudes and activities. The addition of a third dimension, epistemic legitimacy, helps develop a more complete and nuanced explanation.
The dissertation's secondary aim is to identify a conceptual framework that can guide further research in this area. In line with the case study findings, it proposes an extension of Ruostetsaari's framework to include epistemic legitimacy. This allows for a more well-rounded look at the beliefs of political actors regarding young people and their place in the public policy process.
About the author
Lotte Geunis is a parliamentary advisor specialising in open government reforms, with a focus on youth participation. She has worked with the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, International IDEA and the Open Government Partnership. Lotte is a PhD fellow at Maastricht University, where she focuses on youth participation in education policy. She is the co-editor of three books on inclusive education and is a committee member of the International Perspectives in Education (IPiE) conference. Lotte holds an MPhil from the University of Oxford and a BA from the University of Warwick.