Youth digital attitude and engagement: a comparative study of the U.S. and Lebanon (2022-2025) [Articol]

Abstract

This study explores the impact of presidential mandates on youth attitudes towards governance and online civic engagement in the United States and Lebanon—two democracies facing different challenges. The Israeli-Hezbollah war in 2024, alongside Lebanon’s presidential vacancy from October 2022 to January 2025, deepened the institutional gridlock and public distrust. The election of former Chief of Army General Joseph Aoun marked a turning point for narratives of sovereignty and youth responsibility in the public sphere. In contrast, Donald Trump’s 2025 reelection as US president reignited the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) agenda, intensifying polarization and altering the digital civic sphere. The main objective of our study is to gauge the impact on young people’s views toward governance and their involvement in online civic speech in both countries. This study uses a mixed-methods approach, with a cross-national survey to measure youth trust and an archival analysis of youth-initiated digital campaigns on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. It investigates the correlation between these mandates and shifting youth attitudes within both countries’ contexts of institutional crisis. By comparing a case of governance breakdown and rebirth with one of democratic erosion and populist revival, this research highlights the multifaceted relationship between presidential leadership, youth resilience, and how digital platforms foster civic engagement during upheaval.