Salzburg Global Fellow Katindi Sivi emphasizes a more comprehensive view of youth and violence on the African continent
This article was written by Salzburg Global Fellow Katindi Sivi, who participated in the Global Innovations on Youth Violence, Safety and Justice initiative.
While acknowledging that violence is not universal across the continent, there are many factors that contribute to the pervasive issue of youth and violence in Africa. Violence can be understood as harmful acts committed by young people as victims or perpetrators, but it is worth noting that violence is not synonymous with youth in Africa.
Rather than delve into the different types of violence that young people can be involved in, the following sections explore the reasons why young people may engage with violence. To challenge the simplistic linear explanations of youth and violence on the African continent, it is important to emphasize the complex interaction of individuals, diverse systems, and structures as well as unique cultural values and contexts to depict a more comprehensive view of youth and violence.
Dominant Discourses on Youth in Africa
The current discourse on youth and violence in Africa often centers on three primary factors: demographic shifts, grievance-based drivers, and opportunity-based motivations.
Demographic Shifts: A major strand of literature on youth violence in Africa focuses on demographic trends and their implications for conflict. Proponents of the youth bulge theory argue that rapid population growth, coupled with economic stagnation, creates a fertile ground for violence. High levels of youth unemployment are often cited as a contributing factor, as they are believed to lead to frustration and subsequent engagement in criminal or militant activities. However, recent studies challenge this assumption that unemployment automatically leads to frustration and therefore violence, and suggests that unemployment alone is not a sufficient predictor of violence. Instead, higher levels of frustration among educated but unemployed youth is more significant in driving aggression and social unrest. Additionally, while poverty is often viewed as a driver of violence, research suggests that violence tends to exacerbate poverty rather than being its direct consequence.
Grievance-Based Factors and Marginalization: The second major factor in youth violence literature revolves around grievances stemming from political and economic exclusion. Many young people in Africa experience systemic marginalization, exclusion from decision-making processes, and lack of opportunities for upward mobility due to high levels of inequality in society. These conditions can fuel resentment and make youth more susceptible to radicalization or collective action against perceived injustices. High unemployment among marginalized groups reinforces socio-economic inequalities, making violence an appealing avenue for those who see no alternative paths to success.
Opportunity-Based Factors and Economic Violence: Another critical perspective is the notion that violence can serve as an economic activity. In conditions of chronic poverty and economic instability, some youth engage in crime, extortion, or armed conflict as a means of financial survival. The exploitation of natural resources by elites and economic shocks further incentivize violence as a rational choice for economic gain. However, this perspective risks portraying youth as opportunistic actors devoid of agency.
Limitations of Dominant Narratives
Despite their insights, dominant narratives on youth violence in Africa are often reductionist, ethnocentric, and linear in their explanations. The assumption that youthhood equates to violence overlooks the vast majority of young people who do not engage in violent activities. Moreover, economic theories that link youth unemployment directly to violence are contested, with evidence suggesting that structural inequalities, psychological factors, and socialization processes play more significant roles .
Additionally, the gendered nature of youth violence is frequently ignored, with a predominant focus on men as perpetrators while neglecting women’s roles in violent groups. Female involvement in political violence, criminal networks, or radical movements remains underexplored, reinforcing skewed perceptions of youth violence.
While grievances undoubtedly play a role, they do not automatically translate into violence. Many youths channel their frustrations into peaceful activism or entrepreneurship, underscoring the need to explore resilience rather than focusing solely on violence. Similarly, within the opportunity-based factors, it is important to understand youth decision-making processes within broader structural contexts, including governance failures, weak institutions, and the presence of transnational criminal networks that facilitate violence.
A Systems-Based Approach to Youth Violence
Given these gaps, a more holistic, systems-based approach is necessary. Such an approach would account for an intersectional analysis of individual, economic, political, social, and cultural factors. The following points should be taken into consideration in this analysis.
Socio-cultural dynamics: Traditional masculinity norms, initiation rites, and marriage expectations shape youth behavior and influence violence dynamics. Incorporating and contextualizing cultural perspectives in policy discussions, and acknowledging the role of traditional values, family structures, and community dynamics would deepen the discussion and enhance understanding.
Individual risk factors: Past trauma, identity crises, ideological manipulation, and social exclusion all contribute to youth involvement in violence. Amplifying psychological factors in research, particularly how identity crises, trauma, and exposure to violence shape youth behavior would be critical.
Youth resilience: While much of the literature focuses on youth as perpetrators of violence, there is a need to explore youth resilience and their roles in peacebuilding initiatives. Studying youth resilience would enhance an understanding of why most young people abstain from violence despite facing the same structural challenges as those who engage in it.
Global economic influences: African youth navigate conflicting economic systems, from pre-modern agrarian economies to industrial, service, and knowledge-based economies, leading to identity tensions and increased volatility. Understanding this complex interface would contribute to understanding future trends in violence, including how digital technologies, transnational criminal networks, and global political shifts influence youth engagement in violence.
Future Research
Youth violence in Africa is a multidimensional challenge that demands nuanced, context-sensitive research. While dominant narratives emphasize demographics, grievances, and economic incentives, a deeper analysis reveals the importance of socio-cultural factors, global economic transitions, psychological drivers and identity-based drivers of violence among youth.
Future research should prioritize a systems-based approach that captures the complexities of youth experiences, highlights resilience, integrates gender-inclusive perspectives, and considers the role of social norms and cultural influences. A proactive approach would incorporate future-oriented perspectives to better understand and mitigate evolving dynamics of youth participation in violence. Scholars and policymakers can and should develop more effective strategies to support African youth and reduce violence across the continent.
Since 2021, Fellows participating in the Global Innovations on Youth Violence, Safety and Justice initiative have contributed to the Global Innovations on Youth Violence, Safety and Justice Report. Each section highlights the key challenges and opportunities identified by the initiative’s international participants, with illustrative case studies, recommendations for consideration and action, and suggestions of where the research agenda should focus in future. This report is continuously updated to reflect new findings, case studies, and resources.
Explore the full digital report here.
Learn more about the Global Innovations on Youth Violence, Safety and Justice initiative.
Salzburg Global is grateful to the MacArthur Foundation and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation for their generous support and partnership that made this program possible.
