Religious Schooling and Adult Civic Engagement in the United States

• In Event: Roundtable Session 104
  In Roundtable Session: Religion and Public Education

Abstract

Do religious schools influence the civic engagement of their graduates through the young adult years? The research literature addressing this question is hindered by conflicting findings and limited ability to investigate relevant sectors within private schooling in the United States. Using a national dataset (N=1508) with a large oversample of young adults (age 24-39) who attended private schools (N=1,003), this study analyzes new data on the impact of nonreligious, Catholic, evangelical Protestant, and home school experience on the likelihood of volunteering, giving, and participating in political activities. It finds inconsistent Catholic school effects, but substantial evangelical Protestant positive effects on some forms of volunteering and giving but large negative effects on political engagement.

Author

• David H. Sikkink, University of Notre Dame