In the study “Disinterested and Disillusioned? Information and Political Engagement Practices of Young People from Disadvantaged Backgrounds”, Leonie Wunderlich examines the information and participation practices of young people with a low level of formal education. The theoretical basis is formed by the identity paradigms of a self-actualising (AC) and a duty-bound (DC) citizenship, as well as the concept of performative citizenship.
Key Findings
The findings from ten focus groups (N=46) with young people (14- to 22-year-olds) conducted in 2023 show four analytical networks that are predominantly associated with AC qualities. Most participants encounter political information on social media platforms without intentionally searching for news or actively seeking to keep up to date, and for them, non-journalistic sources of information are more important than established news outlets. Across all groups, engagement with political issues takes place in school. Participants’ participation practices are characterized by exchanges on political issues in interpersonal contexts, as well as by limited participation experience and self-efficacy. However, discussions about politics among friends and family do not play a role for all participants, but only for those who are embedded in the corresponding social environment. The participants’ critical perception of media coverage includes a limited presentation of relevant topics and perspectives, as well as a discouraging presentation of news.
Wunderlich, L. (2025). Disinterested and Disillusioned? Information and Political Engagement Practices of Young People from Disadvantaged Backgrounds. Youth & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X251315206.