Voice, Choice, and Action: The Potential of Young Citizens to Heal Democracy

Psychiatrist Earls and neurobiologist Carlson draw on decades of original fieldwork to present a wide-ranging and inspiring study of citizen engagement among young people. Based on research conducted in Brazil, Romania, Tanzania, and Chicago, Earls and Carlson contend that campaigns to secure rights for disadvantaged youth, and the active involvement of children and young adults in public discourse, leads to broader progressive social changes. They write movingly about the traumas of children abandoned to Romania’s state-run residential institutions, the political activism of Brazilian street kids, and the roots of antisocial behavior in Chicago teenagers. The centerpiece of the book is a comprehensive field study conducted in Moshi, Tanzania, that demonstrates the effectiveness of young people in reducing the stigma around HIV/AIDS. Earls and Carlson provide an educational program for improving children’s communication skills and reasoning capacities in order to make them effective advocates for themselves and others. The authors present their rigorous academic research in accessible prose laced with memorable character profiles. Readers interested in childhood development, progressive causes, and public health will want to take note. (Sept.)

Correction: An earlier version of this review stated Felton Earls is a neurobiologist and Mary Carlson is a psychiatrist.