This course will explore multiple cultural and political understandings of youth-including those that distort and enhance adolescent life-and the ways in which those understandings are shaped by the intersection of institutions, policies and communities. To that end, we will examine the forms of marginalization and empowerment by institutions of the dominant culture, and highlight the ways in which youth are active agents in families, within communities, and within the realm of policy. This course will explore questions starting from the premise that youth engagement is not just important, but imperative in a democracy. We will examine current research and theory about youth civic engagement, and we will test the assumptions, conclusions, and implications of this research by relating it to a variety of local, national, and international youth programs.