Civic Engagement and the Changing Transition to Adulthood
January 2009
CIRCLE releases a new paper by Constance Flanagan, Peter Levine, and Richard Settersten entitled “Civic Engagement and the Changing Transition to Adulthood” (PDF). This study, funded by the Spencer Foundation, argues that life has changed dramatically for people in their 20s. Marriage, childbearing, financial independence, and other aspects of the “transition to adulthoood” have been transformed since the 1970s, and are now very different for people with and without college educations. These changes and differences powerfully affect civic engagement. For example, it appears that younger generations have delayed voting, in much the same way that they have delayed marriage and childbearing. But young adults without college experience are permanently missing some aspects of civic engagement–such as group membership–that were common thirty years ago.
As this sample graph shows, non-college youth are less engaged than they were in the 1970s in nine out of ten forms of civic engagement.
Another graph in the report shows that they are now less engaged than their college-educated peers in all ten of these ways (including union membership). The full report contains much more data, analysis, and policy recommendations.
For more information on non-college youth, please see CIRCLE’s latest fact sheet “Youth Demographics – Youth with No College Experience.” The fact sheet contains information on demographic trends of young people in the United States who have no college experience, for the years between 1968 and 2007. To download the fact sheet click here.
January 21st, 2009 at 10:31 am
Hmm..little bit about this??? http://www.blog.downtowners.ch/wp-content/uploads/2008/usa
May 18th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Great paper, I think it provides great deal of useful information.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I wonder where one gets these statistics from. The only valid one I see is reading newspaper. Because there is so many other ways to get the news.
July 8th, 2009 at 3:15 am
Great study, good education help people very much on build a great future for them.
Thank for your informations.
July 13th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Alot of the stats could have come from census reports right?
July 19th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
“Non-college youth are less engaged than they were in the 1970s” in my experience that wouldn’t seem to be true but you can’t argue with real research. Hopefully those numbers will go up in the next few years.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:23 am
The great census report!
August 1st, 2009 at 9:08 pm
As one grows older trust decreases i would say
August 4th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Well folks, I would definitely like to add something interesting into this discussion but unfortunately I am not able to.
August 13th, 2009 at 8:49 am
I think you have less trust as you get older.
August 14th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
As you age, it would seem apparrent that trust is irrelevant to power.
August 15th, 2009 at 2:26 am
Power does not always come from trust, sometimes the opposite happens.
August 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
The result on that graph looks odd to me. However, it’s the truth. Sometime, what really happens is just different from your sense.
October 4th, 2009 at 10:31 am
It’s a different era so it is natural that life has changed for people in their mid-20’s. Various dynamics exist now in society.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
A lot has changed since the 70s. A degree is now the minimum requirement.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Would like to know more。
November 8th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Nice one..
I liked it so much and I bookmarked your website..
Thanks
December 17th, 2009 at 4:34 am
So much has changed since the 70s, but still – this is a good report and its important to look back to our past to see where we are heading in the future.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Well folks, I would definitely like to add something interesting into this discussion but unfortunately I am not able to.It’s a different era so it is natural that life has changed for people in their mid-20’s. Various dynamics exist now in society.
January 10th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
This is a controversial article and it goes to wonder whether it is really relevant to today’s society.
January 18th, 2010 at 12:35 am
I think there’s a LOT of changes in youth in their 20s than those from the 70s. Life’s a lot different now than it was then.
January 19th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Constance Flanagan, Peter Levine, and Richard Settersten are true experts in their field of expertise
February 11th, 2010 at 7:20 am
I must say that education is a major factor of every person’s attitude or outlook in life. Youth of today think carefully before making a decision in order. They, educated young individuals, are more realistic/practical than the previous generation.
February 13th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Proper education affects almost all of the decisions of Youth today. They become more responsible when it comes to decision making. Actually, their top priority in life is to achieve something.
February 14th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Transition to adulthood in 1970 & 2000 shown by the graph is a good way of analysis of civic engagement.Thanks for it.
February 26th, 2010 at 6:23 am
Thank you everyone for all the advice. This has been a very good support for me. I will tell him all that you all have shared. God bless you all.
March 9th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
The youth of today are more engaged than they ever have been….at least in my lifetime. It is a great thing to see.
March 10th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Decent Education contributes a lot in every person’s way of thinking. Most educated people are more concern to their society. In that way, they give more importance in every activity they are participating their social aspect.
March 16th, 2010 at 11:41 am
As the world develops before are dealing child bearing, some are even not bearing children. They are turning to their pet as their children.
April 12th, 2010 at 7:19 am
I really don’t think that the education system can be compared in thios way to that of the 1970’s- so much has changed it’s a totally different playing field.
April 25th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
The bar graph regarding the civic engagement of age group 20-29 is very informative,thanks.
May 1st, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Thanks. I was doing some research about this and this post was very helpful to me. Thanks again.
May 9th, 2010 at 10:10 am
If you are in school and looking for good ideas for prom night or any other dance, check out http://www.datechoices.com for good dating ideas
May 17th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
You guys always deliver useful content. Awesome post. Very interesting and valuable videos. Keep posting more articles. Thanks for sharing useful info.
May 21st, 2010 at 4:28 pm
You raise many questions in my head. Statistics is cool but it doesn’t show the reallity. You wrote an excellent post, but it is also thought provoking, and I will have to ponder it a bit more; I will be back soon.
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:10 am
Great info. By the way, is there any present statistic?
June 2nd, 2010 at 10:31 am
Great papers. Really look forward to reading them.
June 20th, 2010 at 2:24 am
REally usefull Informations looking to read more about youth civic engagement. Always interessting.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:34 am
What’s becoming increasingly interesting to me is the way that testimonials of the transition to civic engagement get taken up as spectacle. For example, stories of self-transformation play key roles in soliciting potential new recruits
November 15th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
I think that you have less trust as you get older 🙂