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Marjoke Oosterom

Marjoke Oosterom is a research fellow and the cluster leader of the Power and Popular Politics research cluster at IDS. She holds a PhD from IDS and has a background in comparative politics and development studies. Her research concentrates on how experiences of violence and conflict affect forms of agency, citizenship, and everyday politics and governance. Her specific expertise is on youth politics and youth agency in response to insecurity and violence, and politics in the informal economy. She has been involved in consultancy work for policy makers and international NGOs that fund and implement governance and youth-focused interventions in fragile and conflict affected settings. Within the broader theme of violence and agency, Marjoke has specific expertise on youth politics, youth agency, and the politics of youth employment. While popular assumptions hold that especially unemployed and ‘idle’ youth are at risk of participating in violence, the majority of young people do not engage in violence and are active citizens in their own ways. Marjoke leads the Strategic Research Initiative ‘Ensuring youth employment and inclusive politics’, which is part of the IDS Strategy for 2020-2025. IDS research undertaken within this strategic initiative contributes to new thinking on youth engagement and the links between youth employment and citizenship, including in fragile settings. Marjoke’s current research focuses on youth interventions in semi-authoritarian regimes (NorGlobal); and she is the Principal Investigator on an ESRC-funded project on political socialization and the informal economy in Zimbabwe; and a British Academy-funded project on young women’s responses to sexual violence in the workplace in Uganda and Bangladesh.

Young Africans could disrupt authoritarian states but they don't – here's why

Jan 08, 2024 22:21 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Africa has the worlds largest youth population. By 2030, 75% of the African population will be under the age of 35. The number of young Africans aged 15-24 is projected to reach 500 million in 2080. While population...

Economy

AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software

The explosive rally in AI semiconductor stocks is showing signs of cooling as investors question lofty valuations and whether the massive spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure can continue at its current pace....

Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand

Malaysias economy expanded by 5.8% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, outperforming market expectations and highlighting the countrys resilience despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. According to advance...

Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook

Japans core consumer inflation likely accelerated in June as higher energy prices and revised medical service fees offset easing food inflation, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) could continue raising...

Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia

Japans Nikkei 225 tumbled more than 5% on Friday, falling to its lowest level since June 11 as a global selloff in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor stocks intensified. The decline mirrored heavy overnight...

Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions

Asian stock markets ended mostly lower on Friday, led by a sharp decline in Japans Nikkei 225 as technology and semiconductor stocks extended a global selloff. Investor sentiment also remained under pressure amid...

Politics

Trump Criticizes ABC, NBC and CNN for Limiting Coverage of Election Speech

President Donald Trump criticized ABC, NBC and CNN after the three major U.S. news organizations declined to air his prime-time address on their main television platforms, intensifying his long-running dispute with the...

Iran Launches Fresh Attacks on U.S. Bases as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate

Iran launched new attacks on U.S. military facilities in the Gulf on Friday after the United States carried out a sixth straight night of strikes on Iranian military targets, deepening a conflict that has unraveled last...

US Military Completes Sixth Night of Iran Strikes as Conflict Escalates

The U.S. military said it completed a new wave of strikes on Iran late Thursday, marking the sixth consecutive night of operations ordered by President Donald Trump as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to...

Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Extradition Dispute

Nicaragua has officially severed diplomatic relations with Italy after a renewed dispute over the extradition of former Red Brigades militant Alessio Casimirri, intensifying a decades-long conflict tied to one of Italys...

North Korea Calls South Korea ‘Puppet’ After U.S.-Led RIMPAC Naval Exercise

North Korea sharply criticized South Korea on Friday, labeling Seoul a puppet after its participation in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), warning that Washington and Seoul would be responsible for any...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Mikron H1 2026 Sales Fall 5.9% as Automation Weakness Weighs on Profit

Swiss automation and machining systems manufacturer Mikron Group AG reported lower first-half 2026 results as weaker demand in its Automation and Machining businesses offset strong growth in its Tool division. Despite the...

KAIST, Stanford Develop Self-Dressing Robot for Cleanrooms and Emergency Gear

Researchers from South Koreas Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Stanford University have developed an innovative self-dressing robotic technology that allows people to put on clothing without...

SpaceX Aborts Starship Test Flight as Engine Issue Delays Launch

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) called off the 13th test flight of its Starship rocket just minutes before its scheduled liftoff from its Texas launch site on Thursday after an engine-related issue triggered an automatic abort. CEO...

Sam Altman Admits OpenAI Missteps, Promises Major AI Comeback Focused on User Freedom

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly acknowledged that the company fell short of expectations over the past year, taking personal responsibility for its performance while outlining an ambitious vision for the future. In a...

Moonshot Launches Kimi K3, China's Largest Open-Source AI Model

Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot has introduced Kimi K3, a new open-source AI model the company describes as the worlds largest of its kind, highlighting Chinas accelerating competition with leading U.S. AI...