Age, generation, and political participation

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the role played by age and generations in explaining political participation. While age-related characteristics are a commonly remarked upon feature in studies of participation, the importance of age as a determinant of political attitudes and behaviors has become increasingly striking over the years, generating renewed scholarly interest in the matter. Age is thought to affect not only whether someone participates in politics, but also the ways in which they participate and the value sets that influence these decisions. This chapter outlines these dynamics by reviewing the literature on the development of political orientations and assessing the role played by socializing agents in driving participation patterns. It further examines how stable these patterns are across the areas of turnout, unconventional or alternative forms of participation, and political values. Finally, the chapter discusses the methodological difficulties arising from attempting to untangle the effects of aging, cohorts, and periods.