Young people’s attitudes to, and practices of, political participation on the internet: What can we learn from large-scale qualitative research?

Abstract

This chapter draws on the MYPLACE qualitative interview database (n = 903) to explore whether new technologies facilitate political participation among young people in Europe. Using the MYPLACE adaptation of meta-ethnography, it was possible to compare interview data on young people’s attitudes to, and practice of, online participation in all 14 countries. The analysis revealed that, while young people may act politically on the Internet-use it for networking, gathering information and expressing opinions-more active forms of political activity are rarely reported. Opinions about the potential risks of the Internet, however, were frequently expressed. This leads to the conclusion that recent technological developments-social media-are not able to revitalise the political sphere in its traditional sense.