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Growing Social Inequalities in Youth Civic Engagement? Evidence from the National Election Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

Laura Wray-Lake  and
Daniel Hart
Laura Wray-Lake
Affiliation:
Claremont Graduate University
Daniel Hart
Affiliation:
Rutgers University
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Abstract

Social class differences in civic engagement persist for both youth and adults. Although empirical evidence is mixed, several recent social changes pertaining to youth suggest that social inequalities in civic engagement may be growing over time for young people. Using data from the National Election Study, we compared trends for youth and older adults of varying education levels and tested the hypothesis of an increasing educational disparity in youth political participation. Results for voting supported our expectations: declines over time were found for less-educated youth only. Unexpectedly, participation in other political activities for more-educated youth declined more over time compared to other groups. Our findings highlight the need to create equal opportunities for youth civic engagement across social groups.

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PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 45 , Issue 3 , July 2012 , pp. 456 - 461
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2012

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