Youth Empowerment as a Peace Brokerage Mechanism in Contemporary Conflict Resolution in the United States

This article examines youth empowerment as an emerging peace brokerage mechanism in contemporary conflict resolution in the United States. Amid persistent challenges such as political polarization, racial tensions, community–law enforcement conflicts, and social fragmentation, traditional state-centric approaches to conflict management have proven insufficient. Using a descriptive survey research design, data were collected from 362 youth respondents purposively and stratified across diverse regions of the United States through the Youth Empowerment and Peace Brokerage Questionnaire (YEPBQ). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression were employed to analyze the data at the 0.05 significance level. The findings reveal that youth empowerment has a statistically significant positive effect on peace brokerage effectiveness. A strong relationship was observed between youth participation in peacebuilding activities and successful conflict resolution outcomes. However, structural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers—including political marginalization, inadequate funding, and societal mistrust—continue to limit youth agency. Anchored in Social Capital and Human Capital theories, the study demonstrates that investments in youth skills, networks, and civic inclusion enhance sustainable, community-centered peacebuilding. The article concludes that institutionalizing youth empowerment within conflict resolution frameworks is essential for inclusive and resilient peace in the United States.