This eclectic collection of 185 entries covers a limited group of familiar and obscure topics that may involve or be relevant to teens and young adults in a variety of countries. Introductory chapters address three components of the topic--"activism and civic engagement, youth development and activism, and the political nature of activism including its international dimensions"--that provide the basis for the encyclopedia. The entries are signed and include bibliographies of recommended readings. Information appears accurate, and the writing is accessible to general readers. Front matter includes a list of entries organized by broad topic, and the entries are followed by a list of organizations and a bibliography consisting primarily of Web sites.
Some of the choices are puzzling. For example, although there are essays titled India, youth activism in and Russia, youth activism in, to learn of Chinese youth activism, one must find the entry Tiananmen Square massacre (1989). Another entry ( Homie unidos) is on gangs in El Salvador and L.A., but the only mention of neo-Nazi gangs in the index is to the entry Immigrant youth in Europe--Turks in Germany.
The range of content is wide: 4-H, Palestinian Intifada, Positive psychology, Riot Grrrl. The person starting with a general question on youth activism will find much to browse and read here. However, without good catalog contents notes, the person seeking information on almost any of the topics discussed is unlikely to notice this work. It is a discretionary purchase when potential reference use is a factor in selection. Linda Loos Scarth
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"The youth activism encyclopedia is a cutting-edge exploration of activism among youth, both domestically and worldwide."
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Reference & User Services Quarterly
"[A]n uplifting work full of optimism, social progress, and righteous passion. This collection attests to the time-honored belief that youths, in their moral idealism and their bold commitment to causes, often embody ideals most of us only profess. The impatience of youth is not a weakness when turned productively toward social justice through activism. As many of these stories make clear, even youthful hands can carry a lamp into dark places."
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PsycCRITIQUES
"The person starting with a general question on youth activism will find much to browse and read here."
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Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"[T]his is a broad and thorough reference work that provides an accessible introduction to the topic….[i]t is recommended for public, high school, and university libraries."
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Library Journal
"This authoritative resource describes programs and policies related to activism and civic engagement among youth from a historical and global perspective. It covers the historical aspects of youth activism to the present, from chatrooms, to grass roots movements, from gangs and politics to Riot GRRLS and Campus Crusade for Christ. The preface thoroughly describes each major topic. Three essays cover core areas concerning civic engagement among youth, adolescents, and youth and conceptions of activism. Over 160 alphabetically arranged entries are indexed and cross-referenced. Ranging in length from 1,000 to 4,000 words, entries include tables, charts, graphs, and photos. An extensive bibliography and appendix provide lists of Web sites and organizations to contact. This work gives greater coverage to progressive organizations than to more conservative ones. It incorporates a cross-disciplinary approach within the many fields of youth activism. Material is written by leading scholars as well as by youth, youth leaders, and practitioners. This volume offers a positive perspective on youth activism in an effort to bring about greater understanding and provide an alternative to reporting that contributes to fearful views about youth based on descriptions of delinquency, violence, substance abuse, and teen pregnancy. Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates, practitioners, and general readers."
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Choice
"[U]nique in its subject matter, multidisciplinary approach, and international coverage. It is certainly a suitable addition to the collections of large public libraries and all academic libaries."
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Harvard Graduate School of Education
"[T]his encyclopedia is the most ambitious effort to date, providing both a general survey and a specialized understanding of the divergent issues related to global youth activism. Its multidisciplinary content should prove advantageous to any analysis of the topic conducted at the collegiate or professional level….[r]ecommended for university and research libraries serving patrons studying or engaged in the fields of social advocacy, civic engagement, and youth development."
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VOYA
"This work fosters an understanding of the disparate activist youth groups internationally, as well as of the interdisciplinary research that explores this phenomena. With 185 entries, from chatrooms to grassroots movements, from gangs and politics to Riot Grrls and Campus Crusade for Christ, this authoratative source lends insight and explanation to the history as well as contemporary forms of youth activism."
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Family Therapy
"With the current emphasis on service learning in schools and universities, as well as the wide range of activities and fields now open to youth involvement, this encyclopedia fills a needed niche. This title is highly recommended for educators, high school, college and university libraries, as well as public libraries."
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Catholic Library World
