Mobilisation through early activation and school engagement – the story from Scotland

Jan Eichhorn

doi:10.1080/13676261.2018.1450968

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the experience of 16–17 year olds participating in the Scottish independence referendum and discusses whether it can be seen as positive or negative considering civic attitudes and participation. Using data from two comprehensive and representative surveys of 14–17 year olds, it engages empirically with claims about young people's alleged political (dis-)interest and provides qualifications for commonly believed stories of young people as mere recipients of information given to them by parents and teachers.The paper develops a positive view of young people's engagement in the referendum process and suggests that inputs from parents and schools actually have distinguishable effects on young people, who do not simply ‘follow the lead’ of others uncritically. The analyses suggest that the discussion of political issues in the classroom (rather than the simple delivery of civics-style classes per se) may act as a positive factor in the political socialisation of young people, but suggests that further research is required to examine these effects beyond the specific context of the Scottish independence referendum in particular in relation to questions about whether reducing the voting age to 16 could be expected to generally lead to positive outcomes.

Highlights

In most countries in Europe voting in national elections is reserved for people who are least 18 years old
The analyses suggest that the discussion of political issues in the classroom may act as a positive factor in the political socialisation of young people, but suggests that further research is required to examine these effects beyond the specific context of the Scottish independence referendum in particular in relation to questions about whether reducing the voting age to 16 could be expected to generally lead to positive outcomes
Many of the studies that have engaged with discussions about the political participation of 16-year olds have relied on studying young adults

Summary

Introduction

In most countries in Europe voting in national elections is reserved for people who are least 18 years old. A few exceptions exist : in 2007 Austria changed its laws and allows 16 year olds to take part in national elections Apart from this other European countries, such as Estonia or parts of Germany, tend to limit extensions of the voting franchise to 16-year olds to local or regional elections or small-scale trials (such as Norway). Because of this data about the political attitudes of 16 and 17 year olds is relatively rare. As the plans for this change were announced in 2012 already and there had been a long campaign leading up to the referendum, we have been able to investigate the young age group’s political attitudes in the real context of an imminent vote in which they could take part

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