Socioeconomic inequality: Can citizenship education create a politically YOUTH-ful future???

Politics is clearly not popular among the youth and even more so for the disadvantaged. I believe that social class has a significant influence on whether or not children want to participate in politics. Political culture is more ingrained within privileged homes compared to others, allowing families to pass down the skills required to become more interested in political matters heightening political engagement. It is therefore up to the citizenship education curriculum to increase interest in political issues and abolish socio-economic inequality within political participation.

POLITICS—a battle only between members of the RULING class?

 

Those who grew up in a political environment, allowing them to build their political awareness may find it easier to interact with the topic. However, those who are unfamiliar with the topic may find it overwhelming due to the lack of political understanding. As many non-voters believe they cannot participate in politics because they are afraid of being drawn into a complex and competitive world beyond their comprehension, therefore they avoid any involvement at all(Morris, 2017). An equal opportunity to participate in politics through a citizenship educational curriculum should be given, as an opportunity to enhance political skills. Rather than pupils feeling too embarrassed to ask basic questions and venture outside of their comfort zone. Prioritising the disadvantage through an effective citizenship curriculum may help increase future voting turnout. As evidence in figure 1 below, shows those employed in middle-class ABC1s “white-collar” jobs are more interested in voting compared to C2DEs those in a working-class “blue-collar” occupation. Explicitly stating a link between social-economic class and voting, many factors can contribute to this e.g lack of political awareness in households.

Figure 1. Voting by Social Class. Ipsos Mori (2017).

Disadvantaged pupils should be given the opportunity to learn about politics in school as their home environment does not expose them to it. Also known as the compensatory effect “socioeconomic inequality in political engagement is transmitted from one generation to the next through political socialization at home”(Hoskins, Huang and Arensmeier, 2021). Therefore the lack of political engagement produces inequalities as not all students are given the same opportunities to explore and understand politics. Hoskins and Janmaat’s theory suggests schools can both perpetuate and repeat social inequality politically, such as schools failing by “providing learning opportunities from which advantaged students benefit more than disadvantaged ones” (Hoskins, Huang and Arensmeier, 2021). As privileged students who have achieved higher degrees of political proficiency in their personal life, allows them to perform better than others. Scholars have also found that better-educated citizens are more likely to vote in elections and participate in political campaigns(Sloam et al., 2021).

So how can we encourage a political FAIR playground?

As mentioned more political promotion through an effective citizenship educational curriculum!

The lack of citizenship education within vocational education and training is a prime example of youngster’s poor access to political participation. In relation to socioeconomic, research implies “across Europe, it is the most disadvantaged students (measured by socio-economic status, ethnicity and migrant status) who undertake the vocational routes in education “(Bryony Hoskins, 2017). Whereas advantaged students are more likely to have “undertaken general/more academic education” (Bryony Hoskins, 2017)and are more enthusiastic and willing to participate in politics through engaging in “ class councils, mock elections and school debates”(Bryony Hoskins, 2017). The Graph below shows undertaking an academic qualification at EQF Level 3 (in England this is mainly A levels) appears to be the most important avenue for shaping an active citizen who will vote and protest. Portraying the education system to reproduce inequalities by prioritising those of advantage, resulting in many disadvantaged students feeling intimidated and out of place within the political realm(Council of Europe, 2017). Leaving them unfamiliar and less likely to politically engage, this identifies the influence citizenship education can have towards either jeopardising or creating a politically YOUTH-ful future. As citizen education can be seen as “institutional support for students (from different backgrounds) schools and colleges can play a key role in preparing young people for democratic life”(Sloam et al., 2021).

Figure 1.Socio-economic inequalities in political engagement: the consequences of limited citizenship education within vocational education and training (Bryony Hoskins, 2017)

Depoliticising the classroom?

The video above identifies the education system failing to teach students the true importance of politics, demonstrating improvements needed within the citizenship education curriculum.

Next step?

Give the unprivileged more opportunities to get politically evolved!

 

According to our findings, underprivileged adolescents have much less access to these critical modes of political engagement learning. Increasing the importance of teaching citizenship education e.g more advanced political training for teachers may foster a politically passionate classroom, creating an enthusiastic/ political generation. Prioritizing, those of low political efficacy can stop the ongoing cycle of political inequalities as it gives the youth a chance to understand and thrive in futuristic matters.

what do you think?

 

References

‌Bryony Hoskins (2017). Socio-economic inequalities in political engagement: the consequences of limited citizenship education within vocational education and training. [online] Coyote Magazine. Available at: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/coyote-magazine/socio-economic-inequalities 

‌Hoskins, B., Huang, L. and Arensmeier, C. (2021). Socioeconomic Inequalities in Civic Learning in Nordic Schools: Identifying the Potential of In-School Civic Participation for Disadvantaged Students. IEA Research for Education, pp.93–122.

Ipsos Mori (2017). How Britain voted in the 2017 election. Available at: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/how-britain-voted-2017-election. (Accessed: 24/03/2022 )

Morris, M. (2017). Why don’t young people vote? Because school teaches us nothing about politics | Millie Morris. The Guardian. [online] 8 Jun. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/08/young-people-vote-school-teach-politics-curriculum-election. 

Sloam, J., Kisby, B., Henn, M. and Oldfield, B. (2021). Voice, equality and education: the role of higher education in defining the political participation of young Europeans. Comparative European Politics.