Monday 28 March 2011
Researchers to investigate poor voter turnout among young people
The researchers hope to reconnect young people with politics
A major study which aims to understand why so many young people chose not to vote at the last General Election is being launched at Nottingham Trent University. The one year study, worth almost £100,000, aims to investigate young people's attitudes towards politics and, crucially, what lies behind the views which influenced them to abstain from voting.
The researchers also aim to provide valuable insights which can be used to reconnect young people with politics by encouraging them to vote and have their voices heard.
At last year's General Election, only 44% of 18 - 24 year olds actually made it to the polling stations. Similar numbers voted in 2005 and 2001, and policy makers are becoming increasingly concerned about the continuing lack of engagement that young people have in the formal political process.
The research - being led by Professor Matt Henn and Nick Foard of the university's College of Business, Law and Social Sciences Graduate School - will explore the extent to which young people's political outlooks are shaped by factors such as gender, social class, education, ethnicity and the degree of party competition in constituencies. They will also assess young people's political disengagement over time, by comparing the results to a previous study led by the university after the 2001 General Election - the first British national study into young people's attitudes towards politics.
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded study will use an online questionnaire and focus groups to gather the information, which will then be analysed by the researchers. The results will be reported back to political parties and relevant organisations and agencies.
Lead researcher, Professor Matt Henn, said: "Young people's disengagement with politics is still a major problem despite attempts by recent governments to address the issue. We do know that many young people are very serious about democracy and voting but choose not to vote because they are concerned about the way in which politics is being run. Finding ways of encouraging young people to engage with politics isn't just about making it easier to vote, it's about changing political culture too; we need a concerted effort by parties and politicians, not just in the run up to an election, but beyond.
"Through examining the ways in which formal politics has been viewed by young people over the course of two parliaments, as well as the underlying factors driving these views, we can gain important insights into what might be done to prevent them self-excluding from the political and democratic process in the future."
Notes to editors:
Nottingham Trent University has a national and international reputation for its work in the study of applied social science. The university offers a wide range of programmes which address key social issues of the day, and its growing research reputation means that its teaching is informed by the latest subject knowledge and cutting-edge methodologies. It also runs a very successful Doctoral programme from the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences Graduate School, and has invested widely in providing facilities and resources to support the innovative work of research staff and PhD research students.
For more, visit our research degrees webpages and the School of Social Sciences website.
The ESRC funds research and training in social and economic issues. It invested more than £211 million in 2009-2010, funding over 2,500 world-leading social science researchers and supporting more than 3,000 postgraduate students. For more visit the ESRC website.
Press enquiries please contact Dave Rogers, Senior Press Officer, Nottingham Trent University, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8782 or via email, or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, Nottingham Trent University, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8774 or via email.
