Youth Studies’ theories often assume universal generalizability despite rarely

making the global South, or its youthful populations, ontologies, values and
politics the focus of research. This paper grapples with the idea of a Youth
Studies ‘for’ the global South, questioning whether theories/approaches that
center on the global North can be usefully applied in the global South, how
and for what purpose. After describing two mainstream domains of Youth
Studies scholarship, questioning how they may become applicable to Africa,
Latin America and developing countries in Asia, we explicate the geo-
politically situated nature of knowledge production. We ask how theories
that originate elsewhere can be adapted and put to work in new contexts,
contributing towards a Youth Studies that enhances the lives of youth on the
global periphery. In Southern sites urgent material challenges dominate
young people's lives, requiring theories that are able to analyse the multi-
dimensional contextual constraints youth experience. Knowledges can be
useful regardless of where they originate, but only when they become
intentionally entangled in local realities and are adapted accordingly. We
argue, however, that a Youth Studies for the global South needs to
demonstrate its relevance beyond applying theories to new local sites. It
should be able to say something more general about the human condition.
In the current conjuncture of economic instability, we believe that contexts
where youth have had to adapt, hustle and survive in precarious conditions
for an extended period of time might demonstrate something unique about
the human condition, but only if we make these places the focus of our
research gaze. The paper concludes with suggestions to enable a Youth
Studies for the global South, one which may contribute to this emerging field
more effectively through intentional strategies of disentangling, decentring
and ultimately democratizing the field.