
Citizens Adrift
Description
Many political observers, struck by low turnout rates among young voters, are pessimistic about the future of democracy in Canada and other Western nations. Citizens in general are disengaged in politics, and young people in particular are said to be adrift in a sea of apathy. Others have questioned this bleak assessment, arguing that youth engagement has shifted to newer forms of political and community involvement.
In Citizens Adrift, Paul Howe examines past and present patterns of political and civic engagement and concludes that many young Canadians are, in fact, detached from the political realm. Two trends underlie his findings: waning political knowledge and attentiveness and generational changes in the norms and values that help sustain social integration. Putting young people back on the path towards engaged citizenship therefore requires a holistic approach, one which acknowledges that democratic engagement extends beyond the realm of formal politics.
More details
Person
Content
Introduction
Part 1: Setting the Stage
1 Democratic Participation in Canada
2 The Wellsprings of Disengagement
Part 2: Political Attentiveness
3 The Evolution of Political Attentiveness: A Six-Country Comparison
4 Political Attentiveness in Canada: The Current Landscape
5 Political Knowledge and Canadian Democracy
Part 3: Social Integration
6 Community Attachments
7 Ascendant Individualism
8 Social Integration and Political Engagement
Part 4: Looking Back, Looking Forward
9 Political Culture in the Age of Adolescence
10 Engendering Engagement among Young Canadians: A Holistic Approach
Appendices
Notes
Works Cited
Data References
Index