Jacqueline Kennelly Livres

Focusing on the experiences of marginalized youth in host cities, this book examines the gap between Olympic legacy promises and actual outcomes. Through an ethnographic study of young people during the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Games, it investigates whether these events truly provide benefits like social housing and employment or if they lead to increased policing and diminished social support. By combining qualitative research with policy analysis, it highlights the discrepancies between official commitments and the lived realities of those affected.

Focusing on the experiences of young activists and homeless youth across five liberal democracies, the book explores how shared political histories and neoliberal ideologies create barriers to civic participation. Jacqueline Kennelly argues that current inequalities hinder meaningful engagement in democratic processes, leading to a disconnect between knowledge and action. She critiques the notion of liberal democracy as a means of maintaining social divisions and proposes strategies to bridge these gaps, aiming to achieve the equality that remains elusive in practice.

Drawing on interviews with young activists and young people who have experienced homelessness, Burnt by Democracy illustrates how growing wealth inequality has weakened democracy across five Western nations.