Abstract
This article aims to explain how and to what extent habitus and agency affect female students’ political participation. Habitus, as one of the concepts of Bourdieu, emphasizes the existence of disposition, in which actions are done without prior consideration and deliberation, and encourages people to repeteadly do similar acts simply because they are common practices in society. In contrast, agency emphasizes the ability of reflexivity and conscious thought. Applying in-depth interviews with 10 female activist and non-activist students at an Islamic university in Indonesia, the study found that the habitus in their families and neighborhoods prevented female students from obtaining equal positions to male students. Eventhough, as members of the student community, they conducted the reflexivity process, and thus had agency to act freely. This reflexivity, however, has not managed to achieve a complete patriarchal cultural change.
Highlights
There is a disparity between women and men in political participation in many areas of life, which is documented and discussed in previous literature regarding the marginalized role of women (Seda, 2002; Mondak & Anderson, 2004; Andersen, Ertac, Gneezy, List, & Maximiano, 2013)
The results of this study cover discussion with informants about the habitus that impedes female students of that university to actively participate in political activities, which includes the process of traditional gender socialization in families, middle level educational institutions, and society at large
Other than discussing the factor of habitus that causes low female political participation, this study discusses the emergence of new habitus as a result of reflexivity and agency of students
Summary
There is a disparity between women and men in political participation in many areas of life, which is documented and discussed in previous literature regarding the marginalized role of women (Seda, 2002; Mondak & Anderson, 2004; Andersen, Ertac, Gneezy, List, & Maximiano, 2013). The factors influencing this general tendency is less discussed. Families as primary agents of socialization tend to socialize different roles of men and women. Agency and Political Participation of Female Students 114 children. This socialization of gender roles is stronger in families with uneducated parents who tend to abide by existing social norms (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1981). In regards to political participation, McFarland and Thomas (2006) find that factors such as parents’ education and family income are influential towards youth activism in politics. Evans (2009) explains that families function as social networks, and political discussion in a family tends to increase the political participation of its members
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