Gen Z and politics

Information

In partnership with The John Smith Centre, University of Glasgow

BSL  Interpreted

What and how do young people really think and engage with politics? Are they engaged, disillusioned, or redefining what political participation looks like? And how important is trust in the conventional political system compared to what community activism offers instead? Join the discussion on the priorities for the future, and what needs to change to restore trust in democracy and address Gen Z’s vocal financial anxieties when it comes to housing, debt and opportunities. And what does it all mean for the future of the political system?

Chair: Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP

Panellists: 

Professor Danny Dorling is Professor of Human Geography, University of Oxford, and the UK’s best -known social geographer. In his latest book, The Next Crisis, What We Think About the Future, Professor Dorling uses the most up-to-date research to redraw our assumptions about where our greatest threats come from and solutions that lie in politics and collective social organisation to tackle our uncertain future. His books, Peak Injustice; , Seven Children; , Shattered Nation and All That Is Solid, are crucial reading for anyone interested in the impact politics has had on the UK’s housing, education, poverty and inequality levels, together with robust solutions on how to address these challenges of our age.

Dr Elisabeth Loose is the Research and Engagement Manager for The John Smith Centre, where she works towards empowering young people to engage in and enter UK politics, as well as monitoring trust in politics and politicians. Recently, Elli has led the work for the Centre’s UK Youth Poll 2025.

Ellie Craig MSYP is the chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament and has been an MSYP for Glasgow Cathcart since 2019. Ellie also runs a campaign called ‘Grieving and Growing’, to raise awareness of the effects loss can have on young people. She has also worked with ‘It’s Time’, a charity supporting young people who have lost parents. In her role as an SYP board member, Ellie sits on the Scottish Government’s gender equality in education taskforce and represents the organisation on the board of YoungScot.