In the nineteen-nineties, young people became conspicuous in the lexicon of local and international organisations working in the Arab world. This shift is both theoretical and practical, for ministries and national strategies have been created for young people, numerous reports have been published, and different initiatives on the situation of Arab youths have been set up. Yet how are young people presented in these documents and organisations? Is there just one type of youth? What is the rhetorical, social and political role of young people in this discourse? This article aims to offer answers to these questions and define the role played by the political economy is the redesign of priorities.
Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Libya, youth movements, social movements, Arab Spring.