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Social capital and civic action

A study of youth in the United Kingdom

University of Bristol, UK, eldin.fahmy{at}bris.ac.uk

In recent years the apparent decline in civic and political engagement across western societies has attracted growing attention among academics, policy makers and social commentators. The condition of young people’s political consciousness and attitudes to political engagement has attracted especial attention. Trends in the reproduction of social capital have been proposed as a key driver of declining political engagement and civic mindedness in western democracies. Drawing upon data from the UK General Household Survey, this article explores the relationship between social capital and civic action among young British citizens at the beginning of the 21st century. In particular the following questions are addressed: how important is social capital in explaining the level and type of young people’s civic action? Are certain forms of social capital more important than others in explaining patterns of civic action? Is the relationship between social capital and civic action dependent upon individuals’ position in the life cycle?

Key Words: civic action • social capital • youth

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