Levels Of Civic Participation Research Articles

Uncovering social assimilation disparities: immigrants’ volunteering in associations

ABSTRACT This study examines how much immigrants from different country of origin groups assimilate to native-level volunteering in organizations in Denmark. We employ multilevel linear probability models, analyzing a dataset that combines repeated cross-sectional survey data with administrative register information. The dataset encompasses 15,771 respondents, of which 1,918 are immigrants from 127 different countries. Unlike recent European comparative research that has suggested that immigrants of all ethnic backgrounds ultimately reach parity with natives in their levels of civic participation in their destination countries, our findings reveal a different scenario in Denmark. Our results suggest that immigrants from predominantly Protestant and other Christian countries reach parity with natives in their level of volunteering, while immigrants from other countries do not. We show that socioeconomic disparities across immigrant groups partially account for these variations in volunteering assimilation, but even after accounting for socioeconomic factors and many other covariates, significant differences persist.

Multimodality as civic participation

Abstract In October 2018, a collaboration between young rap artists in Thailand’s Indy rap scene, Rap Against Dictatorship (RAD), launched a video criticizing the ruling Junta that went viral within days of publication. The Junta soon after released its own video as a response to RAD. The production and publication of both videos are what Scollon (2001) calls social actions mediated by a distinct cultural toolkit. This study analyzed how modes such as music, text, color, camera angle, gestures, voice, image and iconicity emerged in both videos to realize scalar differences in civic participation. The Junta’s video represents a high sociolinguistic scale, whereas RAD realizes a lower scale. In a time of political unrest in Thailand, sociolinguistic scale and the semiotic resources that people employ to realize scales are a lens to analyze how different stakeholders address various perspectives of the political situation and appeal to different levels of civic participation.

No Good Choices: Concealing or Disclosing Single Motherhood in Korea

Abstract Little research has explored the context in which single parents in Korea conceal their identity. Using data from focus group interviews with 19 single mothers, this qualitative study conducted a thematic analysis to examine (a) how and why single mothers in Korea conceal their status as such, (b) the consequences of mothers concealing their identity, and (c) their efforts to find a space where they can be themselves. The findings revealed that in Korea’s strong collectivist and Confucian-influenced culture, single mothers experience societal stigma that implicitly and explicitly deters them from disclosing their status. Women who choose to disclose their single motherhood must actively “come out” and face the subsequent stigma directly, while those who choose not to do so experience isolation, feelings of guilt, and lower levels of civic participation. There are no options that allow a single mother to simultaneously be true to herself and remain free from societal shame—there is no good choice. However, the mothers who participated in this study fostered a positive social identity by attending support groups, building relationships, helping others, and increasing social and civic participation. The implications for social work research and practice are discussed.

The economic recession and civic participation: the curious case of Rotterdam's civil society, 2008-2013.

This paper investigates how the 2008–9 recession affected civic participation in disadvantaged and affluent neighbourhoods in the city of Rotterdam. We hypothesize that levels of civic participation may either diverge or converge across neighbourhoods with a different socioeconomic status. We build upon a recent wave of studies examining how civil society has been affected by the 2008–9 recession. Using five waves from the Rotterdam Neighbourhood Profile survey (N = 63,134; 71 neighbourhoods), we find converging trends in civic participation. Between 2008 and 2013, civic participation declined in affluent neighbourhoods but increased slightly in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This convergence is partly due to the level of perceived problems in the neighbourhood and differences in the types of volunteering found in disadvantaged and affluent neighbourhoods. In addition, we argue that these converging trends can be better understood by considering the neighbourhood organizational infrastructure and local policy configurations. Next to examining the impact of the 2008–9 recession on civic participation, we contribute to research on civil society by comparing the UK and Dutch context.

Community social capital and the improvement of functional ability among older people in Japan

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the contextual effects of community social capital on the improvement of functional ability among older people in Japan. Methods We performed a multilevel survival analysis on 1936 men and 2207 women nested within 320 communities included in Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study in 2010. We used the objective data of the functional ability trajectories based on national long-term care insurance systems. We used multilevel Weibull survival models including a community-level random intercept. We stratified the analyses by gender. We used a validated measure of community social capital that captured three components: the levels of civic participation, social cohesion, and reciprocity. Results In a community with high social cohesion, older men with the low perception of community social cohesion were less likely to improve their functional ability than older men with the high perception of community social cohesion (P for interaction = 0.007). Among women, community social cohesion was inversely associated with the improvement of functional ability regardless of the individual perception of community social cohesion. In a community with high civic participation, women who did not participate in any group in the community were less likely to improve their functional ability than women who participate in some groups (P for interaction = 0.008), whereas such cross-level interaction was not found among older men. Community reciprocity was not associated with the improvement in functional ability in men and women. Conclusion The effect of community social capital on the improvement of functional ability might differ between individuals depending on their psychosocial components in the same community. There might be older people who do not benefit from and excluded from community social capital.

Building Bridges

The exploration of social networking sites (SNS) offers great potential for understanding novel forms of youth civic engagement within the 21st century. SNS can foster a young person’s social capital by connecting them to others with different backgrounds, thereby exposing them to alternative perspectives and lived experiences within a growingly polarized political environment. This study provides an innovative framework for examining the communication trends and perceived sociopolitical benefits for adolescents engaging diverse groups in a youth-led social-justice-oriented SNS. The author linked three school-based youth participatory action research projects involving 54 high school students through an SNS. Employing a mixed-method approach (i.e., social network analysis, key student interviews), results indicate an increase in communication between students in different schools and an increase in levels of civic participation. In addition, interviewees reported perceived gains in communication, perspective taking, and sociopolitical awareness. Implications for practitioners, as well as future research, are discussed.

Relation between Civic Attitudes, Generalized and Institutional Trust in Six Regions of the Russian Federation

Objective - The article presents an analysis of the relationship between generalized and institutional trust indicators and manifestation of civic representations, attitudes and behaviour in six Russian regions: Altai, Jewish Autonomous region, Trans-Baikal, Kemerovo, Omsk and Orenburg regions. Methodology/Technique - The data collected in 2015 from multistage stratified sample 2400 respondents and their age from 18 to 70 years. Findings – Among the studied regions, the highest levels of both interpersonal trust and confidence in social institutions were founded in the Jewish Autonomous Region, the lowest trust levels for many government entities and non-profit organizations are in the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Kemerovo Region and the Omsk region. The levels of civic participation are higher in regions with higher levels of trust. Novelty - The study suggests that trust, both interpersonal and institutional, are a factor in the development of civil society. Type of Paper - Empirical Keywords: Trust; Generalized Trust, Institutional Trust; Civic Attitudes; Civic Engagement; Civic Responsibility; Non-Profit Organizations; Regions of Russian Federation. JEL Classification: Z13, Z18.

Personal and Cultural Trauma and the Ambivalent National Identities of Undocumented Young Adults in the USA

Using data from 41 in-depth interviews with undocumented young adults, we examine how they define what it means to be an American and explore whether and to what extent they identify as ‘Americans’. Framing our analysis in theories of personal and cultural trauma, we illustrate how undocumented youth experience double-consciousness that compounds their approach to national identities. Respondents express ambivalence towards adopting an American identity, recognising their commitment to American cultural values, yet continuously feeling repelled by laws that position them as outsiders to US polity. In spite of this, undocumented youth contest their liminal status by working towards full participation in civil society. Their activities, actions, and levels of civic participation demonstrate that even though they are barred from US citizenship, they work towards embodying what they believe a true American should be.

Social Media, Social Capital, and the Civic Participation of College Students

In recent years, social media technology has transformed the ways that Americans interact with each other. Social media usage is particularly high among young adults and college students (Lenhart et al., 2010), and recent research suggests that there is a relationship between social media usage and participation in civic and political activities (e.g., Fenton, 2011; Hampton et al. 2011). Recently, research has also examined the relationship between the Internet (and social media) and social capital (e.g., Shaw et al 2001; Ellison et al, 2007, Valenzuela et al., 2009). The research presented here assesses the extent to which students at a large, public, Midwestern university utilized social media during the 2010 midterm election year, the types of social media they preferred, their levels of social capital, and any impact these factors had on student political and community participation. With the exception of a weak, marginally significant association between Twitter usage and political participation, social media usage does not appear to be directly associated with traditional forms of student civic participation. However, we did find evidence of an indirect, mediated association between students’ social media usage and their civic participation. The importance of the Internet and social media for students appears to lie in its utility as an information gathering tool. Specifically, we found that students who used social media more frequently were more likely to access information about news online, which had a positive impact on levels of civic participation.

Recruiting Active Citizens

In an era of growing public distrust with government officials, local governments in western democratic societies around the world are seeking to regain community respect and support by encouraging higher levels of civic participation in decision-making processes. Efforts to encourage citizens to become more active in their communities will be more effective if there is a focus on those individuals who are already contemplating participation. This multimethod study explored motivators and barriers to participation amongst residents of a West Australian local government area, and identified potential strategies to increase participation levels among those already contemplating involvement. The findings suggest that local governments may increase participation by ensuring their citizens are aware of: (a) the major issues affecting the community, (b) the potential impact of these issues on individuals as well as the community in general, and (c) the processes involved in initiating participation. In addition, potential participants need to be assured of the value of their contributions and informed of final outcomes.

Racial Differences in Civic Participation and Charitable Giving: The Confounding Effects of Educational Attainment and Unmeasured Ability

In this paper we use human capital theory to follow the links from educational attainment to civic engagement, and to other pro-social behaviors such as charitable giving and volunteering, and in so doing we offer a cautionary explanation for observed racial differences in civic participation, giving, and volunteering. Our argument is that when, in a racialized society such as the U.S., the costs and benefits of education differ by race, and when innate ability is an unmeasured source of heterogeneity across individuals, controlling for educational attainment and not for ability will create spurious race effects in empirical studies of behaviors that depend on both education and ability. Because (1) blacks at any level of educational attainment are predicted to be of higher average ability than equally educated whites and (2) higher ability is associated with higher levels of civic participation, a regression of civic participation on educational attainment and race will produce a positive coefficient on the dummy variable that takes on a value of one if the subject is African American. Using data from the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, we find strong support for the interpretation of race effects as spurious artifacts of having included data on educational attainment without measures of innate ability.

Productive aging and civic participation

We argue that civic participation is one form of productive aging. We explore how age is related to different types and levels of civic participation among adults in Boston, MA. To accomplish our analysis, we employ recently released survey data from the Boston Area Study (BAS). Our results indicate that voting is the most common form of civic expression among Bostonians, followed by attending local government meetings. Volunteering for political organizations and candidates is the least common form of activity. Educational status is a strong predictor of most forms of civic-oriented activity and it is consistently related to activity for those persons 60 years old and older. Further, we evaluate a model of civic participation that shows a curvilinear relationship between age and various activities; this pattern holds after controlling for a number of other covariates. We discuss the contributions and limitations of our research and indicate additional steps that should be taken in future research to address some unresolved issues.

Hierarchical Linear Models of Factors Associated with Public Participation among Residents Living near the US Army's Chemical Weapons Stockpile Sites

The purpose of this study was to investigate public involvement among residents living near the US Army's eight Chemical Weapons Stockpile sites. A cross-sectional study was conducted across 10 states. Primary data were obtained through a random digit dialling population survey. The study sample consisted of 8315 residents living within emergency response zones surrounding the US Army's Chemical Weapons Stockpile sites. Three research questions were investigated: (1) to what extent respondents participated in specific civic activities, and to what extent respondents intended to participate in site-related decisions; (2) to what extent psychological, social, economic and programmatic factors influenced a respondent's civic participation or personal intent to participate; and (3) to what extent a respondent's civic participation or personal intent to participate were individually or contextually determined. Residents in this sample exhibited moderately high levels of civic participation. Overall, residents across the sites did not differ greatly with respect to either civic participation or the intent to participate. Civic participation was primarily associated with educational attainment and family size. The intent to participate was primarily associated with the following individual variables: perceived technological attributes; perceived risk; perceived impact; perceptions towards public outreach; educational attainment; and gender. In terms of community variables, the intent to participate was also indirectly associated with the number of activist groups.