It’s very interesting how politics are still something young people show little interest in.<\/p>\n
In his last chapter 5,\u00a0Smith eludes this vital topic of\u00a0“Civic and political disengagement”<\/em>. It is nothing new to know that the percentage of young people who are involved in decisions regarding government policies is very small. Few have been the times that young people have risen without even voting. The last time a large percentage of young voters became known was when Obama came to the presidency, with 34% of young voters partly because he represents youth interests like equality.<\/p>\n Young people between 18 and 29 years of age and face problems to participate in the political life of the country due to “institutional obstacles,” according to the organization Youth Participation in Democratic Life pp 1-15.\u00a0One of the questions is how to get young people to participate in decision-making to generate opportunities and better living conditions.<\/p>\n Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Civic Engagement Mindy Romero, Jonathan London, with Nancy Erbstein<\/strong><\/p>\n Drawing from the analytical framework in Rios, Campbell and Romero (2010) this model describes<\/p>\n each YCE model based on three frames. These are defined as \u201cDiagnostic\u201d or defining the problem;<\/p>\n \u201cPrognostic\u201d or proposed solutions and \u201cMotivational\u201d or bases for mobilizing public action.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n (What is the problem?)<\/td>\n (Rationales to mobilize public action?)<\/td>\n Types of YCE<\/strong><\/td>\n Formal political participation (voting, electoral activity, policy advocacy)<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/p>\n Youth political \u201capathy\u201d<\/p>\n Youth lack an organized and self- determined voice and power-base<\/td>\n \u201cRock the Vote\u201d efforts to increase registration and turn out<\/p>\n Youth building\/ contributing to social movements on specific policy issues and pushing for greater representation<\/td>\n Voting as a foundation of a democratic society;<\/p>\n Increased voting improves civic attachment; improved electoral outcomes<\/p>\n Political action builds a sense of efficacy that can translate to other realms of behavior.<\/td>\n Participation in civic\/community organizations, clubs, boards<\/strong><\/td>\n Youth-serving organizations\/ institutions lack youth voice<\/p>\n Youth lack leadership skills, navigational capital, and political savvy<\/td>\n Inclusion of youth representatives on boards\/ commissions and other public bodies<\/p>\n Skills training in communication, professionalism, teamwork and related areas<\/td>\n The principle of democratic representation<\/p>\n Skilled youth will be more effective as organizational and community leaders<\/td>\n Youth are isolated from peers; bystanders in addressing problems<\/td>\n Youth providing moral, emotional, physical, financial and other support for siblings, peers and broader youth community<\/td>\n Bonds of caring and compassion are contributed both to an immediate sense of well-being and as a basis for trust and reciprocity needed for social mobilization<\/td>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Political Parties tend to forget youth. Lost in transition<\/strong><\/p>\n It is essential for us that young people are present in all spaces, particularly political ones, in terms of democratic construction.\u00a0However, “political parties and independent candidates do not seem to be looking at young people, as they do not have young candidates, they lack a youth agenda, and they are not interested in the young vote.” Dr. Kimberly C. Thornbury, Ph.D.<\/strong> Vice President for Student Services and Dean of StudentsUnion University, makes an interesting stamen and says, “One may think that all emerging adults are busy “occupying Wall Street.” However, “the idea that today’s emerging adults are as a generation leading a new wave of renewed civic-mindedness and political involvement is sheer fiction” (227). Smith quotes Wendell Berry: “There is, in practice, no such thing as autonomy. Practically, there is only a distinction between responsible and irresponsible dependence” (195). Places such as Union University are working intentionally to develop a responsible Christian community. While some may deride the culture creation and intentionality of Christian campuses as a “bubble”, others may use the rich phrase “sacred canopy” to describe this sense of shared vision, environment for mentoring, and deep engagement with Christ-centered intellectuals. Successful graduates of such schools will have a sense of vocation a calling and a career as well as a holistic sense of how to use their God-given gifts in the world”.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a>Youth Participation in Democratic Life<\/a>\u00a0pp 1-15<\/p>\n Smith, C., Christofferson, K., Davidson, H., & Herzog, P. S. (2011).<\/p>\n Lost in transition: The dark side of emerging adulthood. New<\/p>\n York, NY: Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/the-fix\/post\/president-obama-and-the-misunderstood-youth-vote\/2012\/04\/23\/gIQAuGIQdT_blog.html access 3\/30\/2020<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
\n <\/td>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Analytical Frame<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Diagnostic<\/p>\n Prognostic (What are solutions?)<\/td>\n Motivational<\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Youth perspectives can enrich youth-serving organizations\/ institutions<\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Everyday civic engagement (helping in extended family, peers, neighborhood)<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nAnd that lack of interest is reflected in the low political participation of youth. In essence, data from the National Electoral Institute show that youth political abstention rates exceed 40% in federal elections and are even higher in local elections.<\/p>\n