Young Protesters Emotional Experiences and Mental Health in Post-July Revolution in Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65826/JSAI.1.1.2026.81Keywords:
Youth Mental Health, Post-Revolution Trauma , Emotional Burnout; Youth Political Activism, Civic Disengagement, BangladeshAbstract
Bangladesh’s July 2024 revolution was rallied by thousands of young people who changed the political landscape of the nation. While research has examined clinical samples and direct victims of state violence, little attention has been given to young protesters who were not physically harmed but still faced psychological challenges. This study explores the emotional experiences, identity issues, and unmet expectations of these youth following the revolution. Using a qualitative exploratory design, 35 participants aged 17–28 who joined protests without physical injury were interviewed through semi-structured in-depth sessions conducted in Bangla and English. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged: (i) post-revolutionary disillusionment and political mistrust, evidenced by disappointment with slow institutional transformation; (ii) manifestations of physiological and trauma distress despite not experiencing direct physical violence and (iii) civic awakening and identity transformation, thus reflecting participants reconfiguration of political identity and citizenship. Findings show that Bangladesh’s young protesters form a psychologically vulnerable yet politically adaptive group. While mental health struggles, emotional confusion, and mistrust are widespread, resilience and cautious re-engagement also appear. The study challenges the clinical bias of existing post-conflict research and highlights activism as in itself a situation of potential psychological harm and healing.
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