Royal Holloway Group PR3710 (2016)“‘A codified constitution is a massive deal’: young people, deliberative democracy and A new Magna Carta?”

This paper reports the results from a deliberative event for young people (16- to 18-yearolds), inspired by the UK Political and Constitutional Reform Committee’s 2014 report, A new Magna Carta?, which asked whether Britain should adopt a written constitution. Deliberative events are a potential vehicle for engaging young people with potentially distant political issues. We found that participating in deliberative activities increased young people’s knowledge about the constitutional options set out in A new Magna Carta?, and it also crystallised opinions about Britain’s constitution. Our research was clear in finding little support among our participants for a written constitution, and it was also clear that deliberation, if anything, entrenched support for the status quo. We further suggest that parliamentarians and policy makers might use deliberative-polling events more systematically and routinely to consult and empower young people on issues that affect them directly.

Key words: young people, deliberation, political participation, the British constitution

Feature image taken by Flickr under Creative Commons Licence – the original can be accessed here.

To read the article in full please follow the link or see below.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/298554022/A-codified-constitution-is-a-massive-deal-young-people-deliberative-democracy-and-A-new-Magna-Carta-by-Royal-Holloway-Group-PR3710

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Youth Voice Journal is an international, multidisciplinary, refereed journal that publishes theoretical contributions and empirical studies on international issues affecting young people. In particular, the Journal aims to: - provide a medium, especially for young researchers and young academics, to inform debates around social policy through high quality research; - provide a platform for the intellectual exchange of ideas around the globe with the aim of influencing policies and practices; - actively encourage and aide those young people whose voice is rarely heard by policy makers to contribute to the journal. Youth Voice Journal is published by IARS Publications and edited by Dr. Theo Gavrielides.

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