Youth civic engagement: A sociological inquiry into programs and participants in NYC
Item
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Title
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Youth civic engagement: A sociological inquiry into programs and participants in NYC
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:21af1b132e23:10962
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identifier
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11268
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Creator
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Swaner, Rachel,
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Contributor
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Paul Attewell
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Date
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2011
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Social research | Political science | civic engagement | youth
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Abstract
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America has low levels of civic, community and political participation, especially among youth. Moreover, poor and minority youth are particularly disaffected. This dissertation considers the emergence of the field of youth civic engagement programming that seeks to address that civic cynicism among teenagers in New York City. The data for this research comes from multiple sources, including: 7 interviews with youth civic engagement program coordinators/directors, 8 with youth policymakers, and 44 with teenagers; 5 focus groups with youth involved in youth civic engagement programs; survey data collected from 133 program youth; and a content analysis of 7 youth organizations' websites, publications, and tax statements. This mixed-methods approach was used to draw from the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of doing solely quantitative or qualitative research. The dissertation argues that youth civic engagement work has undergone organizational isomorphism that has contributed to it becoming its own homogenized field. As this has happened, there has been goal displacement whereby the organizations doing the work have become less focused on increasing and supporting civic dialogue among youth because more attention has to be paid to reporting to funders on non-related outcomes. By uncovering key advocacy strategies that have made some youth groups successful in influencing policy, the research hopes to push back on that goal displacement. It also shows how teenagers' involvement in delinquent behaviors does not mean they do not have a desire to actively make positive contributions to their communities, and their cynicism towards various institutions of social control does not mean they do not want to work with them to create positive change. The conclusions made speak to the concerns for the future sustainability of the field, as well as potential directions for it to move.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Sociology
