New publication: How international organizations frame youth activism in education policy

A new article by PhD student Mania Borzenko, lab head Miri Yemini, and former postdoc Tara Bartlett has been published in the Journal of Education Policy: “Framing Youth Activism in Global Education Policy: How International Organisations Construct Narratives of Participation and Reform.”

Youth activism is increasingly recognized as a force in addressing global challenges, yet little is known about how it is framed in the education policies of international organizations (IOs). Using a narrative policy framework and critical discourse analysis, the study examines 14 policy documents published over the last five years by six global IOs: UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the International Labour Organization, the Commonwealth, and UNHCR. The findings show that these organizations prioritize structured, institutionalized forms of activism that align with their own educational narratives, while marginalizing grassroots movements and reinforcing a Global North bias in policy priorities. The authors highlight the role of IOs as norm-setters and call for more inclusive and equitable policy discourses that empower youth as agents of educational and social transformation.