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Digital Diplomacy and Youth Transition to Adulthood in Pakistan: A Secondary Analysis of Urban–Rural Disparities in the Age of Globalization
Sajeel Ahmad
Abstract:
Pakistan's youth are facing the challenges of growing up in a world defined by globalization, swift urbanization, and a burgeoning digital landscape. This research is an insight into the mediation of youth identity formation, political engagement, and urban–rural social dynamics through digital diplomacy platforms in Pakistan. The study is based on a systematic secondary data analysis of institutional reports, such as those from the World Bank and PTA, as well as peer-reviewed sociological literature (2015-2025) and comparative demographic research. The results show a long-standing digital divide: 85% of the urban population had access to the internet in 2023, compared with 42% in rural areas, directly linking unequal access to digital political participation. On the one hand, the city's young people actively build their identities through social media and engage in transnational politics; on the other, rural youth are structurally constrained to passively consume digital content. Digital diplomacy does not yield a uniform picture of Pakistan's future and creates divergent pathways to adulthood that accentuate socioeconomic inequalities. The study suggests a multi-level theory about the relationship between the macro level of globalization, the meso level of institutional access, and the micro level of identity negotiation. The policy implications of bridging the digital divide and promoting inclusive youth engagement are discussed.
Keywords:
Youth Transition, Adulthood, Digital Diplomacy, Social Media, Political Participation, Digital Divide
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