When morality meets politics in development

Abstract

This paper advances the thesis that there is an important role for political engagement in the development of moral identity. When young people take their moral interests into the realm of political action, moral identity is annealed and a lasting new level of maturity is reached. Political participation is not the only path to a mature identity, but it is effective and supported by empirical findings and theory. This thesis contrasts with positions that follow from more familiar theories of moral development which emphasise reasoning over identity, pit the individual against institutional moral traditions and view moral identity as a private possession rather than a shared and public relationship. Attentiveness to political engagement puts focus on developmental processes of dealing with competing interests and on institutions that serve as repositories of moral traditions, thus linking youth to moral communities. As a result, individuals are able to form identities in relationship to established traditions within a context of democratic practices that allow individuals and institutions to function intelligently and freely in a pluralistic society.