January 2009
CIRCLE releases a new paper by Constance Flanagan, Peter Levine, and Richard Settersten entitled “Civic Engagement and the Changing Transition to Adulthood” (PDF). This study, funded by the Spencer Foundation, argues that life has changed dramatically for people in their 20s. Marriage, childbearing, financial independence, and other aspects of the “transition to adulthoood” have been transformed since the 1970s, and are now very different for people with and without college educations. These changes and differences powerfully affect civic engagement. For example, it appears that younger generations have delayed voting, in much the same way that they have delayed marriage and childbearing. But young adults without college experience are permanently missing some aspects of civic engagement–such as group membership–that were common thirty years ago.
As this sample graph shows, non-college youth are less engaged than they were in the 1970s in nine out of ten forms of civic engagement.
Another graph in the report shows that they are now less engaged than their college-educated peers in all ten of these ways (including union membership). The full report contains much more data, analysis, and policy recommendations.
For more information on non-college youth, please see CIRCLE’s latest fact sheet “Youth Demographics - Youth with No College Experience.” The fact sheet contains information on demographic trends of young people in the United States who have no college experience, for the years between 1968 and 2007. To download the fact sheet click here.
Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement
Hmm..little bit about this??? http://www.blog.downtowners.ch/wp-content/uploads/2008/usa
Great paper, I think it provides great deal of useful information.
I wonder where one gets these statistics from. The only valid one I see is reading newspaper. Because there is so many other ways to get the news.
Great study, good education help people very much on build a great future for them.
Thank for your informations.
Alot of the stats could have come from census reports right?
“Non-college youth are less engaged than they were in the 1970s” in my experience that wouldn’t seem to be true but you can’t argue with real research. Hopefully those numbers will go up in the next few years.
The great census report!
As one grows older trust decreases i would say
Well folks, I would definitely like to add something interesting into this discussion but unfortunately I am not able to.
I think you have less trust as you get older.
As you age, it would seem apparrent that trust is irrelevant to power.
Power does not always come from trust, sometimes the opposite happens.
The result on that graph looks odd to me. However, it’s the truth. Sometime, what really happens is just different from your sense.
It’s a different era so it is natural that life has changed for people in their mid-20’s. Various dynamics exist now in society.
A lot has changed since the 70s. A degree is now the minimum requirement.
Would like to know more。
Nice one..
I liked it so much and I bookmarked your website..
Thanks
So much has changed since the 70s, but still - this is a good report and its important to look back to our past to see where we are heading in the future.
Well folks, I would definitely like to add something interesting into this discussion but unfortunately I am not able to.It’s a different era so it is natural that life has changed for people in their mid-20’s. Various dynamics exist now in society.
This is a controversial article and it goes to wonder whether it is really relevant to today’s society.
I think there’s a LOT of changes in youth in their 20s than those from the 70s. Life’s a lot different now than it was then.
Constance Flanagan, Peter Levine, and Richard Settersten are true experts in their field of expertise