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Loneliness and Politically Conscious Youth: How Young People Find Support and Community While Tackling Societal Issues

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How do young people fit into this new world and how do they navigate these challenges? How do they cope with the demands and tribulations of daily life (exasperated by rising living costs, climate anxiety, and wars) together with their efforts to study and promote better societal structures and solutions?


More and more peer-reviewed research, documentaries, and articles are being made on the rising global epidemic of loneliness. Social connections are no longer considered a basic necessity for a healthy human life and our societies are no longer being built around the need for social connection. How do young people fit into this new world and how do they navigate these challenges? How do they cope with the demands and tribulations of daily life (exasperated by rising living costs, climate anxiety, and wars) together with their efforts to study and promote better societal structures and solutions? 2024 Amsterdam Fellow Maja Tešić contemplated these issues while preparing for her fellowship, and decided to make a project that deals with how loneliness and isolation impact a particular group of people – politically conscious youth.

This project is separated into two distinctive parts. The first part is the research project about the topic which sheds light on loneliness as a global issue and a potential health threat in all age ranges and then seeks to answer exactly why young activists are a risk group for developing loneliness. The second part is a podcast which discusses real-life experiences of young people and offers solutions as well as reassurance to anyone experiencing similar feelings. This project promotes awareness, self-exploration, and connection with others as a way of combating loneliness on a wider scale.

Project Objectives

  • Raise Awareness – This initiative seeks to raise awareness, educate, and potentially prevent the negative effects of loneliness and isolation in young people, even if they are not directly related to societal issues. It also aims to highlight the self-isolating aspects of modern society and bring attention to vulnerable groups beyond the project’s immediate scope. The main goal is to start a conversation and offer tools to expand it, so that necessary steps can be taken to create a more welcoming environment and society or to encourage individuals to seek help if needed.
  • Sharing Information – This project aims to provide an overview of available information on loneliness and identity, especially in the context of young activists, adults, and professionals. The information presented serves as a stepping stone for further education and self-examination, aiming to encourage positive transformation in personal, professional, and wider societal relationships.
  • Encourage Connection and a Call to Action – This project encourages its readers and listeners to seek meaningful connections and build emotional resilience. It also aims to provide temporary relief by raising awareness of these issues and showing how widespread and common such feelings are.
  • Encourage Empathy and Solidarity – This initiative promotes the importance of building bridges of understanding, even when goals and values do not fully align. It emphasizes solidarity and social connection as essential alternatives to isolation and hostility.

Project Activities

The first phase of the project involved research, reflection, and writing, culminating in a short research paper titled “Loneliness and Politically Conscious Youth – How Young People Can Find Support While Tackling Societal Issues.” The paper presented information on loneliness and isolation, their negative health impacts, and risk groups. It also focused on loneliness among young people and the causes of loneliness within activist spaces. The paper concluded with tools for addressing loneliness and included references for further study.

The second phase is a podcast series titled “Calling a Friend to Save the Day,” which features content from the research paper and includes guest speakers who share their personal experiences with the host. The podcast is designed to be both educational and entertaining, structured as a conversation between two friends discussing the issue and offering possible solutions. Symbolically, inviting a friend onto the podcast highlights the solution to loneliness, promoting the idea that connecting with just one friend can help alleviate loneliness.

Connect with the Project – Read the research article and listen to the podcast below!

Read the Research Article and the Brochure

Maja Tešić, Amsterdam, 2024

This project is supported by: