A transactional and action-oriented methodological approach to young people’s political socialisation

Abstract

The research field of (young people’s) political socialisation faces methodological challenges in (1) handling individual agency and political culture as simultaneous and mutual, (2) handling the relation between continuity and change and (3) observing the process of meaning-making in political socialisation. The aim of the article is to theoretically argue, present and analytically demonstrate a methodological approach for the study of young people’s political socialisation in action, in the meaning-making process of being and becoming (a) political (subject). Within the research framework of situational political socialisation, a transactional methodological approach is contributed and analytically demonstrated with an empirical analysis of political norms in action. Political socialisation is handled as an observable communication and meaning-making practice, thus implying a subjective, situational, relational, participation and action-oriented approach in order to counteract the risks of treating the rising generation as depoliticised objects for political fostering.

Making waves: A cross-study analysis of young people’s participation arenas in Scotland’s schools

“…Our findings resonate with the wider body of international literature that also calls for attention to this under-researched dimension of children and young people’s participation (Andersson, 2019; Larkins, 2014; Nolas et al, 2017). The significance of recognising participation across many spheres of engagement is important in that it alerts policy makers and professionals to attend differently to the everyday and on-going practices and relations with young people.…”

“…He expressed concern that, without these skills, media had the potential to put, ‘hate in place of attempts at understanding’ (Dewey, 1940: 45). Schools can be sites of public political pedagogy (Andersson, 2019) but as many have observed (Fielding and Moss 2011; Unger, 2005) exemplars of this seem fiendishly resistant to wide-scale implementation. One reason for this may be a lack of attention to the materiality of children’s lived experience of decision-making, or the lack of it, within schools.…”

Angry youth or realistic idealist? The formation of subjectivity in online political participation of young adults in urban China

“…These dispositions are also not exhaustive representations; rather, they showcase the highly diversified landscape of online political participation in which new subjectivities are constantly being performed and produced. Hence, the formation of new subjectivities lies in the dynamic interaction between continuity and change across different times and contexts (Andersson, 2019). It is rooted in the past but also resides in new temporalities (Leccardi, 2017).…”

“…The formation of Chinese young people's new subjectivity is also enabled by digital media. It constitutes an accessible space in which their creative engagement is generated and reflected, and new meanings of subjectivity created (Andersson, 2019). This effect was epitomised by Xiaoyu's reflection on her experience of being a fenqing and Shihou's reflection of his disillusionment with his individual power on Weibo.…”

“…This nature of political subjectivity calls for a new methodology for understanding how new meanings of being a political subject emerge from the dynamic interaction between young people as political subjects, different subjectivation technologies and participatory circumstances, as well as the continuity and changing nature of these meanings. At this point, an action-oriented approach proposed by Andersson (2019) tends to be an appropriate one. This approach acknowledges young people as political subjects in their own right, while social contexts are viewed as the conditions under which subjectivities are negotiated, articulated and recognised, as opposed to objects to resist.…”