Author

Ryan Graham

Date of Graduation

Spring 2016

Degree

Master of Arts in Communication

Department

Communication

Committee Chair

Elizabeth Dudash

Abstract

In the midst of an election season, research in the areas of politics and democratic engagement become increasingly important. Framed by concepts from social constructionism, this study used focus group interviews to better understand salient political values and citizenship norms among America's youth. Through personal experience and reflection, participants in this qualitative study were able to produce meaningful data from which one may draw general conclusions. The three major themes appeared as 1) socialization & development, 2) lack of faith, and 3) expanded notions of citizenship and engagement. Ultimately, results from this study suggested that America's youth have constructed a subjective political reality in which effective political participation is characterized by personal action rather than adherence to an established political system and its respective modes of participation.

Keywords

citizenship, democratic engagement, social constructionism, grounded theory, Millennials

Subject Categories

Communication

Copyright

© Ryan Graham

Open Access

Included in

Communication Commons

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