Dr. Ivan Chorvát on Youth Activism in Baská Bystrica, Slovakia
Czech and Slovak Lecture Series

On 25 October 2019, the Centre for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (CERES), in cooperation with the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, launched a special five-part series titled “Making and Remaking Central Europe: The Czech and Slovak Contribution.” Following last year’s Czech and Slovak Studies Conference, also organized by CERES, this lecture series features academics from the Czech Republic and Slovakia to showcase new research on political and social issues in these two countries.

The series began with the lecture, “Not in our Town: A Case Study of Civic Youth Engagement Against Intolerance and Radicalism in Slovakia,” by Dr. Ivan Chorvát (Matej Bel University in Baská Bystrica, Slovakia). As the title of the talk suggests, the lecture looked at the Baská Bystrica chapter of the grassroots platform Not in Our Town (NIOT) and its role in combating expressions of extremism, intolerance, and xenophobia in the region. The platform, which was founded as a reaction to the election of the far-right politician Marian Kotleba as governor of the Baská Bystrica region in 2013, focuses on preventing radicalization and extremism. Dr. Chorvát presented ways in which NIOT organizes educational and cultural activities to raise awareness among the population. One of such activities is the use of “living libraries,” in which people whose lives were affected by extremism share their personal stories to inform and inspire their audience.

The talk drew on Dr. Chorvát’s research on youth engagement and the main reasons and circumstances that motivate young people to engage in civic movements. According to Dr. Chorvát, by considering different understandings of the concept of “youth” as well as local socio-political local and international developments, it is possible to see how and why the youth is a key group in the push for social change, particularly under circumstances considered undemocratic. In the specific case of Slovakia, there exists a long tradition of youth engagement in politics and social activism, which is reflected in the demonstrations during the Gentle (Velvet) Revolution of November 1989, and more recently with the creation on the initiative “Za slušné Slovensko“ (for a Decent Slovakia).

At a time in which youth activism is often criticized for being manipulated and co-opted by larger entities and political actors, Dr. Chorvát’s research on youth activism is particularly relevant to help explain the actions of youth activists as autonomous and to challenge modern understandings of the youth. As Dr. Chorvát suggested as an avenue for further research, it is worth considering young people as a minority within society.

by Anna Herran, MA candidate