Report: “The Things We Didn’t Know We Ignored Regarding Gen Z”
Since its first publication in March 2022, Eteron’s research on Generation Z has inspired commentary and has fueled a conversation on a topic that has recently begun to gradually emerge in the public sphere in Greece. As we often say at Eteron “the life of any research begins after its publication”. This is why, in the second phase of the project “Gen Z | Voice On”, we combined our initial research with multiple collaborations with Institutes, Universities and researchers, as well as initiatives of participation, interaction and co-production of knowledge and material together with young people.
Alexandros Minotakis is a member of the research working group and co-authored, with Anastasia Veneti and Stamatis Poulakidakos, the questionnaire and the initial report on the results of the research regarding Gen Z, which was carried out by Eteron in collaboration with aboutpeople. Having participated in all the design and operational discussions about the research during the second phase of the “Gen Z | Voice On” project, Alexandros Minotakis has prepared this paper on behalf of Eteron, summarising conclusions and delving into two of its main topics: the relationship between Gen Z and politics and that between Gen Z and the media.
As the report comments on the Gen Zers who participated in Eteron’s events, discussions, workshops etc.: “Overall, they seemed to be looking for new terms to talk about politics, ideology and journalism with a creative awkwardness. Of course, this is not some kind of obsession with “anything new” or neologisms, but rather a need to address in a contemporary manner their needs and concerns, which the world that they have inherited cannot satisfy.” One of the most important conclusions of the report is that Gen Z can potentially be a generation that not only reflects on new media but also acts to transform them by rendering algorithms more transparent and pushing for a democratisation of the public sphere.
