Gender Differences in Civic Involvement and Political Attitudes in Chilean Adolescents

Abstract

How youth are faring as future citizens and political beings is an issue of renewed interest in Chile. Historical and political events associated with the advent of democracy have made politics a more salient aspect of life. At the same time, interest in adolescents’ political attitudes and identities has also increased due to a heightened concern about youth’s low levels of trust in political parties, government representatives, and public institutions (INJUV, 2000; 2004). Youth apathy for the polity has been noted both as low involvement in political activities and attitudes of political detachment (INJUV 2002; Manzi/Gonzalez/Haye 1999). 71 per cent of youth 20-24 years old were not registered to vote in 2000, as opposed to 48 in 1997 (http://www.injuv.gob.cl/cedoc_archivos/), and the percentage of 18-29 year olds registered to vote has gone from 36% in 1988 to 20% in 1997 (INJUV 1998). Political participation is a prerequisite for the success of democratic societies (Flanagan/Sherrod 1998) and the figures above have raised concerns about the political socialization process that is taking place in families, schools, and other social institutions.