Youth Protest and the Polycrisis

The Educated Guess Podcast · Nov 3, 2026 · 1h 15m

Young people are taking to the streets. From student protests in France to youth-led movements across the world, a generation seems increasingly unwilling to sit around and accept things the way they are. But what's driving this wave of youth activism, and what can psychology tell us about it?In this episode, we explore the psychology of protest: identity, belonging, injustice, anger, hope and the desire to make a difference. We consider why collective action can be so powerful during adolescence, whether protest can support young people's wellbeing, and what happens when institutions fail to…