1-017 - Social Justice and U.S. Politics: Multidisciplinary Insights into Children's Political Development

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Adults' political knowledge, attitudes, and participation show substantial variation across social groups, including gender/sex, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, and income. How early in development these variations appear, and what can be done to reduce them, are important research questions and social justice issues. This symposium will bring together researchers from different academic traditions who study social justice issues in children's political knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. The three papers included in the symposium employ diverse methodologies with participants from diverse races and ethnicities, genders, ages, and communities to examine variations across social group memberships in youth's views of politics and the role of social justice issues in children's political participation.

The first paper presents data on children’s views of social justice related issues (e.g., gender underrepresentation, immigration) within the 2016 U.S. presidential election from a sample of youth from five diverse regions of the U.S. The second paper reports on children's views of political leaders and variations in such views across participants from different groups. The third paper examines the consequences of involvement in collective action concerning a local environmental issue on the civic attitudes of low-income, urban children of color. Collectively, the papers highlight the persistence of social inequalities in children's political development and suggest ways to promote social justice within the political sphere. The papers will be discussed by an eminent scientist with expertise in children’s and adolescents’ thinking about human rights, educational opportunity, exclusion, and social justice in the U.S., the U.K., and South Africa.

Sub Unit

• Diversity, Equity & Social Justice

Chair

• Rebecca Bigler, University of Texas at Austin

Discussant

• Martin D. Ruck, The Graduate Center City University of New York

Individual Presentations

• Children’s Views of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election: Gender, Racial/Ethnic, and Immigration Issues - Presenting Author: Meagan M. Patterson, University of Kansas; Non-Presenting Author: Rebecca Bigler, University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: Erin Pahlke, Whitman College; Non-Presenting Author: Christia Spears Brown, University of Kentucky; Non-Presenting Author: Amy Roberson Hayes, The University of Texas, Tyler; Non-Presenting Author: Chantal Ramirez, The University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: Andrew Nelson, University of Kentucky

• Drawing Political Leaders: Race/Ethnicity and Gender in Children's Views of Politics - Non-Presenting Author: Angela Bos, College of Wooster; Non-Presenting Author: Celeste Lay, Tulane; Non-Presenting Author: Jill Greenlee, Brandeis University; Non-Presenting Author: Mirya Holman, Tulane; Presenting Author: Zoe M. Oxley, Union College; Non-Presenting Author: Dzifa Adjei, College of Wooster

• Nurturing Civic Awareness and Skills among Low-Income Students of Color through Collective Environmental Action - Presenting Author: Constance Flanagan, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Non-Presenting Author: Alisa Pykett, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Non-Presenting Author: Morgan Smallwood, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Non-Presenting Author: Erin Gallay, University of Wisconsin-Madison