Stocker: Millennial Movements (Teaching Culture: UTP Ethnographies for the Classroom)

Through social movements that are both grassroots and global, young leaders in San José, Costa Rica, have sought to create positive social change in their communities. Using social media, art, local organizations, corporations, and government entities, these leaders have found creative ways to connect with and support one another’s efforts to promote change and tackle growing concerns, including environmental sustainability, freedom from sexual assault, food security, LGBTQ+ rights, and more.

Presenting case studies of Costa Rican millennial leaders, Millennial Movements shows how youth activists in San José draw from global solutions to address the local problems inhabiting their city. Identifying with the youths that they encounter in each chapter, students will be inspired by the strategies and skills used by these leaders and can adapt them to their own schools and communities.

Karen Stocker is a professor in the Department of Anthropology at California State University, Fullerton.