Activating Activism in the Classroom: Undergraduate Experiences and Enduring Political Engagement

• In Event: 487 - Section on Teaching and Learning Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 02. Community Engagement

Abstract

Research demonstrates the importance of college to political participation after graduation, but few studies examine specific campus experiences to determine their effect on different forms of political activism. This paper addresses the gap in our understanding of political engagement by analyzing the results of an alumni survey distributed to all College of Liberal graduates at a southeastern university. Chi-square tests determine whether there is a statistically significant relationship between five curricular and co-curricular undergraduate experiences and ten types of political engagement after graduating. Analysis of the 50 contingency tables produced demonstrates that organizational involvement, campus leadership, and volunteering reflect limited influence, while service-learning has the greatest impact on long term political participation. This course-based service experience has a significant effect on behaviors such as voting and donating money to political candidates as well as more explicit forms of social movement activism such as membership in SMOs and protest participation. Interestingly, classes with merely a service add-on show no association with any of the political behaviors under examination. This suggests the importance of the reflection required of service-learning and how critical engagement with community service heightens awareness, deepens knowledge, and facilitates the attitudinal and identity development that promote long term activism.

Author

• Fletcher Winston, Mercer University