The Illinois Humanities Council Presents:

“Citizens in the Present: Youth Civic Engagement in the Americas.” A special book release and panel discussion about active and engaged urban youth.

Chicago Cultural Center > Monthly Schedule > Citizens in the Present

The Illinois Humanities Council, in partnership with the The Mikva Challenge and UIC's Great Cities Institute, presents: “Citizens in the Present: Youth Civic Engagement in the Americas.” A special book release and panel discussion about a new transnational study about urban youth.

Although media coverage often portrays young people in urban areas as politically apathetic or disruptive, this book provides an antidote to such views through narratives of dedicated youth civic engagement and leadership in Chicago, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro. This innovative comparative study provides nuanced accounts of the personal experiences of young people who care deeply about their communities and are actively engaged in a variety of public issues. Examining the role--or absence--of youth in contemporary public and political discourse, the authors investigate what motivates young people in these cities, which forces influence them, and what their actions reveal about democratic practices in cities in the Americas today. Drawing from extensive interviews and personal narratives from the young activists themselves, Citizens in the Present provides a vibrant portrait of a new, politically involved generation.

The co-author, Maria de los Angeles Torres is director and professor of Latin American and Latin studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Torres will be joined will by a distinguished panel of local and national authors and youth advocates.

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Dates:
Wednesday, October 23, 2013

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Hours:
5:30-7:30 pm

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Location:
Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park Room, 5th Floor
78 E. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602

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Admission:
FREE; Reservations required at www.prairie.org/events

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Website:
For more information, visit www.prairie.org

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Public Transportation:
For travel information, visit www.transitchicago.com