Policing participation: the policy boundaries of youth activism in Italy

Recent research indicates that youth are shifting away from conventional civic and political engagement toward unconventional and digital forms outside formal political structures. This shift, driven by adult-centric policymaking, labor market precarity, and democratic instability, is increasingly constrained by surveillance and the criminalization of dissent. In European policy discourse, youth are often framed as either future resources or vulnerable subjects, rarely as autonomous political actors. Italy, marked by high youth unemployment, precarious labor markets, and a familistic welfare model, exemplifies these tensions. This study applies a critical policy lens to 33 national policy documents to examine: (1) constructions of ‘youth’; (2) conceptualizations of citizenship education; and (3) framings of youth civic and political engagement. Thematic qualitative analysis reveals three patterns: youth are primarily depicted as vulnerable; civic engagement is linked to conventional forms of participation; and citizenship education favors liberal-republican over critical or diversity-oriented approaches.