Mapping the Landscape of Young People's Participation in Fiji

In this paper, I attempt to generate some discussion, preliminary in nature, about the landscape of young people’s participation, both historical and contemporary. I argue that an understanding of young people’s participation should move beyond the dominant discourse of ‘performance and responsibility’ and, in doing so, identifying some structural and policy challenges to this case. The discussion will focus on the relationship between young people and wider society, exploring the interplay between structure and agency experienced within their lived reality. The paper concludes with a discussion of how an appreciation of young people’s diverse existence and involvement establishes the beginning of genuine partnerships with them