This blog will be exploring how the level in social class and educational attainment determine the likelihood of engaging politically and how these two particular factors contribute to the inequalities in political engagement. In particular I will be looking into the link between how lower socioeconomic status and vocational educational background combined together determine the decreasing level of political engagement in comparison to an increasing level of political engagement as a result of higher educational qualifications and higher socioeconomic status.
Inequalities in Socio economic background and age have had a significant impact on political engagement and it has become an increasing issue in the UK (Hoskins and Janmaat, 2015). This was further illustrated in the 2015 general elections where there was an approximate 20% difference in the amount of people that vote between the highest and lowest social groups (Ipsos Mori, 2015). Research over a ten year period between 1995 and 2015 has shown for a 20% decrease in voter turnout amongst the lower socio economic group in comparison to the higher socio economic group which was just under 10%. Clearly indicating a clear difference in the level of political engagement amongst social class groups through the increasing level of existing inequalities. Further on, inequalities in political engagement with regards to age had a long tern negative impact in particular to youth apathy and having their voices raised and put forward in political decision making (Sloam, 2013). Data research shows that there has been 30% decline in youth voter turnout since the 1970s where similar results have shown to be projected in the US. Amongst the European neighbours this has narrowed the gap especially with nations such as Germany. These figures suggest that people from lower socio economic background and younger people are less likely to engage politically due to the inequalities highlighted.
Below in Figure 2, the graph shows that those people who fall under the category of C2 and DE came from lower social economic backgrounds had a lower turnout in the general election constituting to an approximate 62% and 57% in comparison to those who came from higher social economic backgrounds AB and C1 coming to 75% and 68%. There was a 17% difference between the highest socio economic group (AB) and the lowest socio economic group (DE) (Ipsos MORI, 2015). As a result this strongly supports the argument put forward the that people from a lower socio economic background are less likely to engage politically in comparison to those of a higher socio economic background, showing that it is depends largely upon the social class status to determine the level of political engagement especially in regard to the election turnout in particular.
There is a considerable amount of research which links lack of political engagement with low educational attainment and low socio economic background, so those who attain very few academic qualifications are more likely to be disadvantaged youth coming from lower socio economic background. Those students aged 14-19 with lower socio economic status are usually enrolled on lower levels of education in particular vocational courses which has been argued to provide very little access in learning political engagement in the classroom, whereas students in the same agroup who have a higher socio economic status are most likely to be on academic tracks which are higher levels of education, this gives those students an opportunity to learn political engagement in the classroom as that is allocated time and taught within the curriculum (Hallinan, 1994; Van De Werfhorst 2009). The teaching style employed at vocational level and the subjects taught, limit the chance of learning political engagement where there has been a less focus on critical thinking, and more concentration towards becoming as to what is termed as a ‘loyal worker’ (Dewey, 1966, Whitty, 1985; Ten Dam and Volman, 2003). In contrast, the teaching method and subjects offered at an academic level with higher levels of education further enhance an opportunity to politically engage as the curriculum and what is being taught encourages critical thinking; giving students an platform to voice their own opinion. Students create their own argumentation skills and participation in decision making (Janmaat and Mans 2011, Ichilov 2002, Apple, 1990). The long term effect plays an advantage to those who achieve these academic qualifications as they are more likely to politically engage through their own opinions which they have formed in the classroom and having that knowledge base of the political system. On the other hand, students who have achieved lower educational attainment and vocational qualifications are less likely to politically engage due to not having that exposure to critical thinking, voicing your own opinion and allocated time to learn how to become politically active.
Bourdieu and Passeron (1990) argue that the education system has been identified as being a contributing source of recreating and reproducing socioeconomic inequalities. The formal qualifications students undertake between the ages of 14-19 and their outcomes of educational achievement have a significant impact on the future socioeconomic status and economic earnings (Wolf, 2011). The vocational qualification at level 1 and 2 students undertake are having an negative impact on their earnings having a lower income, resulting them to be under lower socioeconomic status in comparison to those students who achieve higher academic qualification at the same level which have a positive effect on their earnings, which leads them to having a higher socioeconomic status this plays a significant role in determining the outcome of political participation and weighs in the social inequalities that still exist and is illustrated in the data which shows the varied levels of general election turnout reflecting the educational attainment (Wolf, 2011, Marien et al 2010).
This was taken from (Hoskins, B. and Janmaat, J.G., 2016. Educational trajectories and inequalities of political engagement among adolescents in England. Social science research, 56, pp.73-89.)
The graph above illustrates the link between inequalities in educational attainment and the probability of voting, which supports the extensive contemporary research which shows that the level of educational attainment has a direct effect on political participation. The graph shows that there is a 70% chance of those students who have attained level 3 higher academic qualification in comparison to 60% of those students who have achieved level 3 vocational qualifications. However, at level 2 type of educational attainment there is a much wider gap in the probability of level 2 higher academic GCSE qualifications which is projected at 62% in comparison to level 2 vocational qualification which was predicted at 44%, a difference of 18%. Majority of students who undertake vocational pathway, tend to come from a lower social working class background, this has a detrimental effect on political participation (Hoskins and Janmaat 2016).
References:
Hoskins, B., Janmaat, J. and Melis, G. (2017). Tackling inequalities in political socialisation: A systematic analysis of access to and mitigation effects of learning citizenship at school.
Hoskins, B. and Janmaat, J. (2015). Educational trajectories and inequalities of political engagement among adolescents in England.
Hoskins, B., Janmaat, J., Villalba, E., 2011. learning citizenship through social practice outside and inside school: multilevel analysis of the learning of citizenship. Br. Educ. Res. Comp. Educ. Rev. 55 (1), 82-110.
Hoskins, B., Janmaat, J. G., Han, C., & Muijs, D. Inequalities in the education system and the reproduction of socioeconomic disparities in voting in England, Denmark and Germany: the influence of country context, tracking and efficacy on voting intentions of students 16-18 years old. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education.
Ipsos, Mori, 2010. How Britain Voted in 2010. Accessed at. http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/poll.aspx?oItemId¼2613&view¼wide. on March 5th, 2018.
Janmaat, J., Mostafa, T. and Hoskins, B. (2014). Widening the participation gap: The effect of educational track on reported voting in England. Journal of Adolescence, 37(4), pp.473-482.
Paterson, L., 2013. Comprehensive education, social attitudes and civic engagement. Longitud. Life Course Stud. 4 (1), 17e32