Speculation about Greece exiting the Eurozone has exacerbated feelings of uncertainty among the Greek people who suffer the day-to-day impact of harsh austerity measures. The deep levels of corruption and unsustainable lifestyles, maintained by both the government and Greek citizens, render the Greek economic downturn a “crisis of values.” Greek youth are perhaps the greatest victims of this dismal situation as they face the consequences of a debt crisis that has been created by the older generations. Facing a record unemployment rate of 51.5 percent many young Greeks today feel that migrating to other E.U. countries and the U.S. is their only viable option.
Amid the changing political and social environment, how does this new era of austerity affect Greek identity and values? How does the younger generation define the crisis since, ultimately, it will be the one called upon to solve it in the years to come?
Student Fellow
Edith Ismene Nicolaou-Griffin is a rising sophomore at Davidson College, in North Carolina, a prospective neuroscience major and film and media studies concentrator.
Her interest in journalism began...
Gateways
For Greek youth the economic crisis is a wake-up call for change. Most side with SYRIZA, the anti-bailout party; others, wary of risking Greece's position in the Eurozone, favor the New Democracy.
For Greek youth the economic crisis is a wake-up call for change. Most side with SYRIZA, the anti-bailout party; others, wary of risking Greece's position in the Eurozone, favor the New Democracy.