Youth Unemployment and Urban Radicalization: Evaluating Labor Market Volatility in Post-Conflict Coastal Enclaves

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 7, No. 12, December 2016 | pp. 658–666

DOI: 10.46882/2016/GJPCS/000095

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Youth Unemployment and Urban Radicalization: Evaluating Labor Market Volatility in Post-Conflict Coastal Enclaves

Names of Authors: Ousmane Diallo¹, Grace Adebayo²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Sociology, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal; ²Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract: Abstract: High rates of structural youth underemployment across expanding urban centers are frequently cited as primary catalysts for civil unrest and political radicalization. This study empirically tests this relationship by examining youth labor market dynamics and subsequent protest frequencies across four sub-national coastal cities. Utilizing a cross-sectional dataset of 800 urban youths alongside regional macroeconomic performance registries from 2005 to 2015, we modeled the probability of political mobilization. The econometric findings demonstrate that long-term underemployment significantly boosts individual willingness to participate in anti-government demonstrations (R² = 0.49, p < 0.001). Further breakdown reveals that the correlation is highly accelerated among educated youth segments experiencing high levels of relative deprivation. Quantitative tracking indicates that a 5% increase in youth underemployment is associated with an average increase of 3.2 civil unrest incidents per year. The study concludes that traditional security crackdowns fail to deter political instability when root economic frustrations remain unaddressed. The paper recommends prioritizing youth entrepreneurship funding and vocational pipelines as vital instruments for national security stabilization.

Keywords: Youth Unemployment, Urban Radicalization, Labor Market Volatility, Civil Unrest, Relative Deprivation, Security Stabilization, Economic Pipelines

Manuscript Timeline: Received: July 11, 2016; Revised: September 15, 2016; Accepted: October 20, 2016; Published: December 08, 2016

Citation: Diallo, O., & Adebayo, G. (2016). Youth Unemployment and Urban Radicalization: Evaluating Labor Market Volatility in Post-Conflict Coastal Enclaves. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 7(12), 658–666. DOI: 10.46882/2016/GJPCS/000095

Subscribe to read the full article: https://internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read