Call for Papers

Submitting Papers to Open Citizenship

So, you’ve read some Open Citizenship articles and you want to write one yourself- great! There’s a just a few things you need to do:

1. Read the Call For Papers below, and consider whether your idea fits the next edition of the journal.
2. Decide what form your article will take: academic, editorial, movement profile or review- read the submission guidelines below to find out.
3. Send a short description of your idea- no more than half a page- to submissions@citizensforeurope.org.

After that, if we think there’s a fit, we’ll get back to you- that’s it!

Our current Call For Papers: Youth in Europe

Today, 24% of young Europeans are unemployed – a staggering 5.6 million 16- to 24-year-olds. But the challenges young people face extend beyond unemployment. With the burden of supporting an aging population, the power shift from government- to market-led policymaking, the exclusion of millions of young people not holding EU citizenship, overcoming severe financial crises at national and global levels, escalating competition from BRIC and MENA countries and climate change, there seems to be no end to the challenges young people in Europe face.

The next issue of Open Citizenship looks at the challenges facing youth in Europe. We examine whether young Europeans are being given the chance to address the issues they face in their own way, and whether this need is being recognised by the EU. By considering the concerns, needs and actions of young people, we hope not only to describe the current state of European citizenship, but also to build a picture of its potential future of European citizenship. For example, how is the current generation engaged as citizens in the European Union? How do they express, claim and enact their rights as young citizens and non-citizens? Are they more concerned with personal issues and assimilating into the current system or are they fighting to change institutional structures to meet their needs?

As always, Open Citizenship invites different types of contributions and invites academics, practitioners, politicians and engaged citizens to express their distinct views and knowledge on the topic of youth in Europe. Possible ideas for submissions include:

• Many commentators refer to this generation of young Europeans as a lost generation. Is it true and, if so, what does it mean? What future can this generation expect?
• How are young people in different EU countries affected differently? Are there differences between ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic and other groups within member states, and between member states?
• When we speak about young European citizens, what do we mean exactly? Do we give prominence to citizens from particular nations or with particular status, and write off other groups?
• What are the primary concerns of this generation of European youth? Can we speak seriously about topics including energy supply, sustainability and digital surveillance if young Europeans are more concerned about other issues?
• How has the EU’s focus on developing skilled workers rather than active and reflective citizens affected young people? Is the idea of consumerism more or less prevalent amongst this generation of young people than preceding ones?
• Are the youth being given the right of full expression, or are their modes of expression ignored? Do EU institutions take them seriously? What new forms of citizenship expression are young people using in different countries? What lessons can be drawn from youth organisations and movements that could be relevant to debate at EU level?
• How is this generation of European youth politically different from previous generations, and if so what factors have led to this development? Is it unusual that we see a rise in right-wing governments to represent youth? What impact global competition and migration can be seen on this generation?

If you’d like to contribute, have a look at our submission guidelines below:

We wish you all the best in your submissions and your writing!