Conversation with philosopher Bleri Lleshi about inequality, young people, neoliberalism and hope
Bleri Lleshi is a philosopher, lecturer, writer, former youth worker and passionate speaker. He grew up in extreme poverty in Albania and built a path in Belgium that is as varied as it is socially engaged. In this long and layered conversation, he speaks about his sense of purpose, his criticism of policy, his commitment to young people, and his deep belief in hope and connection as drivers of change.
I Could Not Look Away from Injustice
Bleri grew up in Albania in the aftermath of a communist regime. “When the system collapsed, we were relieved. At the same time, we were overwhelmed: for the first time, we had access to television. We saw images of the West — modern, prosperous. It felt like the promised land.”
But that same television also showed him something else. “The Iran-Iraq War. The war in the Balkans. I was only ten, but something started to trouble me: why is nobody doing anything about this injustice?”
He came to Belgium intending to study international politics. “I wanted to go to the capital of Europe. I wanted to solve conflicts. And I graduated with the highest distinction. But when I saw the injustice in Brussels — young people being excluded, marginalised and ignored — I knew: I have to do something here. So I became a social worker. Not the diplomat everyone expected me to become, but someone who wanted to make a difference — on the streets, in schools and with young people.”
I Could Not Remain Indifferent
The move towards social work was not an obvious choice. “Everyone around me thought I was crazy. But I felt that if I could see this injustice, I could not simply stand by and watch. I had to do something. And I have never let go of that feeling, that idealism. I argue that we should nurture idealism — especially among young people.”
That choice eventually also led him to writing. “What I saw on the streets, in schools and in families had to be brought into the public debate. I did not want to rely only on policy papers. I wanted to write books, publish articles and move people. Always grounded in practice, but supported by academic insights. Because I am also a philosopher. That combination of theory and practice is what drives me.”
“People throw around terms like ‘problem youth’, but nobody looks at the systems that exclude them. Young people arriving at school without food. Without books. Parents who stay away from parent-teacher meetings out of shame because they cannot pay the school bill.”
Brussels Is a Laboratory for the Future
Bleri lived in Brussels for more than twenty years. “It is the most diverse city in Europe. Seventy per cent of its residents have a migration background. But that diversity exists alongside severe inequality.”
He sees Brussels as a testing ground. “How do we deal with superdiversity? What works, and what does not? At the same time, you see processes such as gentrification, where working-class neighbourhoods are bought up, upgraded and then become unaffordable. People are literally pushed out — out of their neighbourhood, out of their city.”
The problem, he stresses, is not diversity. It is inequality. “You see inequality in education, on the labour market, in police checks and in housing policy. It is often racialised. But it also affects white people living in poverty. The system pushes those who are already vulnerable even further down.”
He speaks about social exclusion and young people who feel shut out of education, employment and public space. “People use labels such as ‘problem youth’, but nobody looks at the systems that exclude them. Young people without food at school. Without books. Parents who stay away from parent-teacher meetings because they are ashamed that they cannot pay the bill.”
The System Punishes Those Who Are Already Vulnerable
According to Bleri, inequality cannot be understood without naming the neoliberal system. “Neoliberalism says: everyone is responsible for themselves. Are you living in poverty? Sort it out yourself. Do you not have a job? Then it must be your own fault.”
That logic, he says, seeps into everything. “In education, we see students arriving at school without books or food. And what does the school do? It sends them away because the bill has not been paid. That is not just a system failure. It is a moral failure.”
In his book De neoliberale strafstaat (The Neoliberal Punitive State), he describes how vulnerable young people are punished twice: first by poverty, and then by policies that hold them personally responsible for their situation. “Policy talks about self-reliance, but refuses to invest in people. We install cameras and issue fines, but we do not build structures that genuinely support people.”
“Love is what motivates you to keep fighting, not to give up. It is what makes you say: I see you. You matter.”
Politics Fails Young People and Then Punishes Them
According to Bleri, the consequences of that system are particularly visible in Brussels. “We worked with young people who applied for jobs up to 55 times without receiving a response. Sometimes simply because of their name or postcode. And then they are told that they are not making enough effort.”
Inequality in education is equally stark. “There are young people who cannot attend school because there is simply no place for them. Others do not receive books because their parents could not pay previous bills. But then they are labelled as ‘difficult students’.”
Young people notice this. “They see how they are portrayed. How the police treat them. How the media label them. And in the end, they are punished for the frustration that the system itself has created.”
Polarisation Is the Result of Bad Policy. But It Can Also Be an Opportunity.
Society, Bleri says, is increasingly governed by fear. “We invest in war, security and control. But fear is a poor guide. Young people feel that. They feel the injustice and they feel the hypocrisy.”
For Bleri, polarisation is not necessarily the problem itself — it is often a symptom. “Young people feel excluded, unsafe and misunderstood. Of course that leads to resistance. Of course there are reactions. We then call that ‘radicalisation’, but what is causing it?”
He refers to issues such as Palestine, climate change and headscarf bans. “Young people see injustice. They feel powerless. And they are often given no space to express that anger or to do something with it. That is where our responsibility lies.”
For Bleri, this is a call for political awareness. “Not party politics, but politics as engagement. As a youth worker, teacher or lecturer, help young people understand that their problems are not purely individual, but structural. And give them tools to make their voices heard.”
We Need Politically Engaged Youth Work
According to Bleri, youth work needs to do more than listen. “Empathy is important, but it is not enough. Politically engaged youth work means making structural injustices visible. It means transforming individual pain into collective action.”
He argues that youth workers and social workers should help young people recognise the reality they are living in and support them in turning that awareness into action. “Not paternalistically, but in a way that activates and empowers them. When you give young people a voice, you create change.”
Love as an Act of Resistance
In his book Liefde in tijden van angst (Love in Times of Fear), Bleri proposes a different compass from the one offered by the dominant system. “Love may sound soft, but it may actually be one of the most radical choices you can make. If you act from love, you reject cynicism. But you also reject naivety.”
For him, love is a political act. “Love is what motivates you to keep fighting, not to give up. It is what makes you say: I see you. You matter. That applies to young people, but also to lecturers, social workers and politicians.”
He is concerned about the disappearance of that passion. “More and more social work students tell me: ‘I want to help people.’ That is good, but I hear too few saying: ‘I want to change something.’ That worries me. As a social worker, you are more than a listening ear. You have to think structurally. You have to dare to stand alongside young people.”
“In education, we see students arriving at school without books or food. And what does the school do? It sends them away because the bill has not been paid. That is not just a system failure. It is a moral failure.”
Finally: “Change What You Can. And Do It with Love.”
Bleri ends with a message for young people and youth workers: “Ask yourself: where can I make a difference, even if it is small? What do I do out of love, out of conviction? You do not have to save the world. But every act of care, connection and hope matters.”
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