Building Narrative Power

Comms Hub and its partners, D-Hub and Las Escuchadoras, announced the release of a new research series exploring how Gen Z engages with democracy in the digital age. The series comprises a Transnational Playbook and three country-specific Playbooks from Brazil, Kenya, and Spain, offering practical insights into the narratives, values, influencers, and online conversations shaping how young people understand society, public life, and democratic participation.

Drawing on extensive digital research and narrative analysis, the Playbooks examine how Gen Z discusses issues such as identity, economic opportunity, belonging, safety, gender, fairness, community, and social change on social media and digital platforms. The research finds that while many young people do not typically use the language of politics, institutions, or democracy to describe their concerns, democratic values are often embedded in conversations about the issues that most directly affect their lives.

Across all four Playbooks, several common themes emerge: young people engage most strongly with issues that have a direct impact on their daily experiences; personal stories and lived experiences often resonate more than abstract policy discussions; questions of identity, dignity, and belonging play a central role in public discourse; social media creators and online communities are increasingly influential in shaping civic conversations; and gender-related narratives have become some of the most influential and contested spaces of debate.

The Brazil, Kenya, and Spain Playbooks provide in-depth analysis of country-specific dynamics, while the Transnational Playbook identifies broader patterns and shared trends across contexts. Together, they offer practical recommendations for engaging younger audiences, building trust, and developing communications strategies that resonate in contemporary digital environments.

At a time when democratic institutions face growing pressures around the world, the research highlights the importance of listening to the spaces where young people are already communicating, understanding the narratives that shape their worldviews, and engaging in ways that are authentic, relevant, and grounded in lived experience.

The project was supported in part by a grant from the Open Society Foundations.