The Myth of Youth Apathy

Young Europeans’ Critical Attitudes Toward Democratic Life

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3757645
AutoresBart Cammaerts (0000-0002-9508-5128, London School of Economics and Political Science), Michael Bruter (London School of Economics and Political Science), Shakuntala Banaji (0000-0002-9233-247X, London School of Economics and Political Science), Sarah Harrison (0000-0002-4727-4039, London School of Economics and Political Science), Nick Anstead (0000-0002-1090-5271, London School of Economics and Political Science)
Año2014
Volumen58
Número5
Páginas645-664
Fecha de publicación2014-05-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Behavioral Scientist (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-7642 • E-ISSN: 1552-3381
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0002764213515992
OpenAlexW2106684094
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas86
Referencias citadas23

A common interpretation of the low levels of electoral turnout among young voters is that they are apathetic and part of a generation that does not care about political issues-indeed, a selfish and materialistic generation. In this article, the authors question this common perception and test this claim against an important alternative: that the limitations to youth participation in Europe are due not to a lack of interest in the public good but rather to a combination of contextual and psychosocial factors, including the real as well as perceived inadequacy of the existing political offer. The authors assessed young people's attitudes toward democratic life in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Austria, Finland, and Hungary. A mixture of a comparative mass survey, stakeholder interviews, an experiment, and focus groups was used. The data suggest that young people are willing to engage politically but are turned off by the focus and nature of existing mainstream political discourse and practice, which many believe excludes them and ignores their needs and interests. Contrary to the assumptions of the disaffected and apathetic citizen approach, there is a strong desire among many young Europeans to participate in democratic life, but this desire is not met by existing democratic institutions and discourses

Apathy · Democracy · Focus group · Interpretation (philosophy) · Mainstream · Political science · Politics · Psychosocial · Public opinion · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology · Sociopolitical Dynamics in Russia