The MONTAЖ$TROJ collective and the Zagreb Youth Theatre invite you to a panel discussion on the youth, our and global society, critical education and horizons of the future to be held in the Miško Polanec hall of the Zagreb Youth Theatre on Friday, February 1, 2019 at 6 pm.
With traditional political divisions into the left and the right disappearing, scientific knowledge is being relativized on social media through fake news and pseudoscience, escalating the informational chaos and the ghettoization of public opinion along with the ever more mass escape into the spaces of cyberinfluencing and gaming. This virtuality with a real effect is especially reflected on the youth. One of the responses to this state of affairs are the processes of the youth’s radicalization – manifested as a need for simple answers in an increasingly complex world. Radicalizations are at their most apparent in aspects of religion that strategically target the youth. Radicalization is most often attributed to Islamic fundamentalism while ignoring its growing Christian counterpart. They go hand in hand with political radicalizations, also evident in the processes of militarization – from increasing military budgets, reintroducing compulsory military service to organizing military camps for children. Finally, economical radicalization leading towards the destruction of public goods and a deepening of inequality is, according to some, one of the main causes of other forms of radicalization. Viewed together, the radical (mis)use of technology, religion, the military, the economy, and finally politics, creates an explosive context for our lives and the youth’s upbringing. The younger generations will both inherit and politically govern such a world in the future.
The panel discussion “Youth Without God / Mapping of Radicalizations” will open up space for a discussion on Croatia’s youth in the context of the (suspended/unwanted) education reform, political trade in education and ideological divisions that lead us into a siege mentality.
To what extent is the youth exposed to radicalization and how are they radicalized? Is the co-called “youth without god” in fact a youth without orientation, without attitude, without civil courage, egoistic, indifferent and callous or precisely the opposite? Are school programs, mass media and amenable parents the ones who instill young minds with a new spirit – a spirit of radicalization? Does the education system have the answers to these challenges? Is religious fundamentalism and a return to traditional values the right answer? Is the “return to faith” the new generations’ “new punk,” is their “rebellion” – a return to “the traditional?” Is true and real faith the only thing that can restrain radicalization and cruelty, or is it just the opposite – isn’t religion (religious fundamentalism) a trigger for fatal influences on future generations…? Are liberal values and the concept of human rights (entirely) compromised in contemporary (neoliberal) capitalism? Why do we believe that securitization (closing off and militarization) of society will save us? In what ways is today’s religious fundamentalism linked to spirituality if today God still exists only to the extent to which he is white, European, Christian…? Are we in preparation for all-out war? Did this panel discussion go too far?
Forum speakers: Marko Matijević — chief editor at Srednja.hr, Ana Marija Raffai, Catholic theologian and peace activist, Mario Nakić — chief editor at Liberal.hr, Marin Periš — Catholic theologian and host of “Divine Comedy” on Laudato TV, Marin Miletić — religious education teacher and founder of the Association of Catholic Scouts of Croatia and Tena Šojer — journalist at Netokracija.com.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Gordan Bosanac.
The panel discussion “Youth Without God / Mapping of Radicalizations” is part of the process of developing the theatre performance YOUTH WITHOUT GOD by Borut Šeparović in co-production between the Zagreb Youth Theatre and MONTAЖ$TROJ. The performance YOUTH WITHOUT GOD will premiere on February 20, 2019.
