Authoritarianism in youth social life: systematic literature review (2015–2025)

Introduction In contexts of institutional erosion and polarization, authoritarian expressions among young people have emerged, straining democracy and civic coexistence. This review aims to identify the main manifestations of authoritarianism in youth social life and analyze their implications for democratic coexistence. Methods A systematic review of the literature (2015-2025) was conducted in journals indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, following the PRISMA protocol. Out of n = 681 studies identified, n = 43 were selected for final analysis. Results Four analytical dimensions were identified: social dominance, traditionalism-sexism-fundamentalism, mental health-parenting styles, and contextual-cultural perspectives, which expand the classical understanding of the phenomenon. Discussion These dimensions highlight the increasing validation of authoritarian values linked to the rise of violence and social inequality, positioning authoritarianism as a relational and situated phenomenon that threatens democratic coexistence.