Role of Youth in Peacebuilding through New Media: A Case Study of Contemporary Students of Social Sciences, University of Peshawar

Abstract

 In this paper, the role of youth at Peshawar University in peace building through the use   of new media is examined. The primary objective is to explore how students leverage new media platforms to promote peace, gender equality and social justice while also assessing the effectiveness of the platforms. The research focus on social sciences department of Peshawar University utilizing a simple random sampling method to select 65 respondents comprising both male and female students aged 15 to 29. Data was collected via a questionnaire survey with close ended and likert scale questions analyzed using Microsoft Excel and presented in a diagrammatic format. The findings reveal diverse level of engagement and effectiveness in the use of new media for peace building efforts among the students. The key platforms identified are Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter each utilized to varying extents and influencing peace promotion, social justice, advocacy, and the challenging of cultural taboos. The study highlights the active participation of Peshawar university youth in grassroots campaigns and their collaboration with organization and influencers on new media to amplify messages of peace and social justice. The results indicate that while a significant portion of students frequently use new media for peace building and advocacy there are notable variation in their perception of its effectiveness. The research underscores the potential of new media as a powerful tool for youth led peace building initiatives contributing valuable insights into the intersection of youth, media and peace building in an academic context.