Family Civic Context

Workshop on Civic Education in Jakarta

Neighborhood and Family Civic Context

Neighborhood and family civic contexts play a significant role in the development of civic orientations. Young people growing up in families and communities that are civically active and financially better off tend to end up more active themselves (Jennings, Stoker & Bowers, 2001; Nie et al.,1996; Niemi & Sobieszek, 1977). Discussion between parents and youth revolving around civic and political issues relates to a wide range of civic outcomes (Andolina, Jenkins, Zukin & Keeter, 2003; Torney-Purta et al., 2001). And a great deal of research has focused on the role social capital plays within communities in fostering norms and social networks that make democracy work more effectively (most notably, Putnam, 1993, 2000).

Our measures of neighborhood and family context were strongly related to students’ commitments to civic participation. As predicted, high school juniors’ reports of neighborhood social capital were positively related to their overall level of commitment to civic participation. Specifically, high school juniors who reported that their community is one in which adults both care about youth and work to make the community better were more likely to report high levels of commitments to civic participation. This relationship (though diminished in magnitude) remained even after controlling for different school experiences and after additionally controlling for their level of commitments to civic participation.

We found that having parents who discussed current events and politics with their children was positively associated with students’ level of commitments to civic participation. Again, this positive relationship remained after controlling for school experiences.

Developing Citizens: The Impact of Civic Learning Opportunities on Students’ Commitment to Civic Participation.

American Educational Research Journal September 2008, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 738-766

Joseph E. Kahne

Mills College

Susan E. Sporte

University of Chicago