ABSTRACT
This chapter explores contemporary youth activism in Algeria. In particular, it highlights the case of young people who reject any partisan labels and political identifications. They are of urban origin, mainly educated and engage in voluntary work in formal and informal groups, specifically in matters of environmental protection, social work, and humanitarian solidarity. If scepticism towards state-centred politics led such young people to appear apolitical, their volunteerism involved virtues and practices that indirectly opposed authoritarianism, self-interest, corruption, and danger, practises that they believe characterise existing politics. Previous research has termed this form of activism “political disavowal”, which refers to a cultural mechanism for resolving tensions between the corrupt politics they believe to exist and the virtuous political world they aspire to create. The chapter is based on ethnographic research and interviews conducted in the city of Oran, Algeria, between 2017 and 2019.
