Episode 3

Gen Z is Taking Their First Steps onto the Political Stage

Published on: 23rd September, 2025

How do Gen Z Americans feel about democracy? The short answer: overall they believe in its principles, but don’t feel it’s working for them. In this episode, we explore unique ways that Gen Z is engaging in democracy (and not engaging), and what people of all ages need to do to encourage the next generation of peaceful leaders.

 Ruby-Belle Booth is a researcher with CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, where she graduated in 2021. Ruby is interested in youth civic participation as a pathway for social, racial, and economic justice. She co-authored the report, “How Does Gen Z Really Feel About Democracy? Insights from Three Profiles of Youth and Democracy."

 Alex Edgar is a Youth Engagement Manager at Made by Us, a coalition of over 400 US museums that use history to inform and inspire civic participation among younger generations. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 2024. Learn more about Alex’s work at: www.historymadebyus.org

Disrupting Peace is a production of The World Peace Foundation. The show is produced by Bridget Conley and Emily Shaw. Engineering by Jacob Winik and Aja Simpson. Marketing and Social media by Emily Ruhm and Kaelen Song. Show artwork by Simon Fung.

Special thanks to Jeremy Helton, Lisa Avery, B. Arneson, and Alex de Waal, and the team from the Tufts Digital Design Studio, including Kimberly Lynn Forero-Arnias, and Miles Donovan.

Find out more about the World Peace Foundation at worldpeacefoundation.org. Follow us on Bluesky at worldpeacefdtn.bsky.social, and on Instagram at @worldpeacefdtn.

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About the Podcast

Disrupting Peace
Disrupting Peace explores why peace hasn’t worked, and how it still could. In each episode, Bridget Conley, research director at the World Peace Foundation, speaks with a researcher specializing in one obstacle to peace, and an activist who’s changing systems from the ground up. Together they explore what worked, what didn’t, and why we shouldn’t give up.

About your host

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Bridget Conley

Bridget Conley is Research Director at the World Peace Foundation (WPF) and an Associate Research Professor at The Fletcher School, Tufts University. She leads WPF’s research programs on atrocity response and incarceration. She works closely with the Executive Director on project development, fundraising and strategic vision for WPF. Currently, her primary research focus concerns the implications of American mass incarceration for local, national and international policies.