FINAL CAPSTONE PROJECT
COVER LETTER
I have been going back and forth for weeks on how I wanted to present my final Capstone project. It wasn’t until a few days ago, that I decided to go back to my original plan of writing a paper. But I wanted to spice it up a little bit. Instead of doing a run-of-the-mill research paper, I talked about political socialization using myself as the example subject. This allowed me to think critically about the past four years and the events that have had a lasting impression on me.
HOW DO POLITICS AFFECT OUR IDENTITIES
For the Class of 2020, politics have been an unavoidable subject in our lives. We were born in the wake of 9/11, started kindergarten during the 2008 recession, and began high school during the 2016 election. We have watched the world grow more and more polar before our eyes. We have seen the effects of political division first hand in our state, neighborhoods, and classrooms. Like I said: unavoidable. This has caused us to become very opinionated very fast, never knowing when the next heated political debate could arise.
The process of acquiring our political views based on certain influential factors in our lives is called political socialization. Some of these factors include family, peers/school, media, religious beliefs, race/ethnicity, gender, age, region, and the impact of events (Wood, 2018). The culmination of these factors help to formulate a person’s political identity i.e. if they are a Republican or a Democrat.
I’ve spend a lot of the past couple months in quarantine reflecting on my own political socialization process. When I was a freshman I was a pretty conservative girl, but over the past years that has changed…a lot. I identified the three factors which I believe have been the most central in developing my opinions: peers/school, family, and impact of events. First, I have gone to a very progressive, liberal school my entire life, where most of the community shares the same opinions. Second, I was raised in a dual-party household, where I was exposed to both conservative and liberal beliefs. Finally, towards the end of high school, there was legislation passed in Georgia that was infuriating to me and motivated me to become more outspoken with my opinions. The culmination of these events helped to secure and solidify my political ideologies.
Adolescence is a time in our lives when we are especially vulnerable to influence from outside factors (Merelman, 1972). Regarding the Class of 2020, our political ideologies in particular were impacted and formed relatively young. In my personal experience, I found that my peers and I had at least partially developed our personal politics by the end of freshman year. My grade spent a semester when we were freshman taking Political Science during or shortly after the 2016 election. Needless to say, politics were a hot topic amongst our freshman selves. And it was impossible to be immune of unaffected by the opinion our peers.
As I mentioned, one factor of political socialization is the opinions of peers and educators. This essentially means that you are likely to be influenced by the people you socialize with. Additionally, as students, we are also going to be influenced by the opinions and biases of our teachers. Part of the reason why educators have such an immense impact is because their opinions are often intertwined with their teachings. It is difficult to separate opinion from the subject matter.
In the context of Galloway, I think this was something that I particularly experienced a lot of. To put it mildly, Galloway is rather left of center. I first began learning about the government and politics in the midst of the 2016 election from a wonderful teacher who did not keep his biases out of the classroom. This is not a criticism at all because his teaching style and discussion of his own opinions had a positive impact on me. I may not have completely agree with his opinions at the time, but over the next four years, I thought back to this class a lot. I believe that this played a very large role in my own political socialization process. Hearing an intelligent adult be open and knowledgeable with his political dogmas was something that I admired, and I hoped that I would one day follow in his footsteps.
The most important factor of political socialization is family or your parent’s opinions (Biglari, 2020). A child is more than likely to share the political identity of their parents. For example, if your parents practice traditionally conservative ideologies, you are likely to think the same way. This factor looked a little different for me. I was raised in a dual-party household. Both of my parents are moderates within their parties, but they still have opposing ideas regarding certain subjects like taxes and immigration reform. This has allowed me to have a political alignment that is inclusive and respectful of both parties. In a political atmosphere that has become so partisan, this is a quality that I am especially grateful for. The parental beliefs I was exposed to from a young age assisted in my political socialization process by making me more mindful and accepting. The larger impact this had on my political identity was the ability to find common ground and appreciate the positives that both sides have to offer. Of course, as time went on, my opinions did begin to align more with one side over the other, but we’re not there yet.
It is more likely people to get married to those who share the same beliefs. Specifically, 55% of married couples identify with the same party; Republicans married to Republicans, and Democrats married to Democrats. However, only 10% of married couples are Democrats married to Republicans (Hersh, 2016). When the parents have the same party, it is more than likely that the kids will also align with them. But when you’re in a situation like I was, there is a little more room for variation.
When I reflect on my political socialization process, I think my family’s beliefs had a huge impact by being less biased. It taught me how to argue for my side, forcing me to be well-versed on varying political topics in order to adequately defend my opinion. It allowed me to come to my own conclusions therefore making me even more secure with ideology.
The final agent of political socialization, which I believe had the largest impact on me, is the impact of events. In 2019, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 481, or, as it is colloquially known, The Heartbeat Bill. This bill prohibited women from getting abortions when a heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy. At six weeks, it is likely that a woman may not even know that she is pregnant. The only exceptions to this law could occur if continuing the pregnancy posed threat of serious harm to the woman or in cases of rape of incest in which there has been a filed police report.
This was one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. It strips a woman in that situation of any bodily autonomy. The passage of this bill infuriated me. Before it was passed, I tended to keep relatively quiet about my personal politics, as I did not see it my job to push my views on someone else. But this bill changed that for me.
Current events carry a lot of weight when it comes to voting behavior and the formation of one’s political identity. We learned in AP US Government and Politics that dramatic events can lead to emotionally fueled votes at the polls. For example, after 9/11, it was important to the American people that there was a leader who promised to keep us safe with a strong military. More recently and locally, after a surge in gun violence in the US, there was push for representatives like Lucy McBath, whose platform was primarily focused on implementing stricter gun laws. For me, it was the passage of the Heartbeat Bill that solidified my liberal ideologies and further motivated me to be an active advocate in my community.
As I have said from the beginning, politics have become an unavoidable, intrinsic part of our identity and everyday lives. Opinions are everywhere, and it is impossible not to take a stance. It is important to have an understanding as to why we think the way we do. Political socialization lays out the process by which our political ideologies are formed and the agents that influence them. What better way to learn about this subject than see a real example: yours truly. I started off my high school experience a little right of center, latching onto the opinions of some adults in my life. But because of my experiences with educators, my family, and current events, my opinions changed. It’s important to understand that the factors which had the greatest impact on me are not the only important agents of political socialization.
I think going to Galloway played an immense role in not just making me more liberal but making me a better advocate. We are taught advocacy and respect like we are taught multiplication at Galloway. Like I said, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting, and I am increasingly grateful for the community I have been a part of for the past 15 years.
The process of acquiring our political views based on certain influential factors in our lives is called political socialization. Some of these factors include family, peers/school, media, religious beliefs, race/ethnicity, gender, age, region, and the impact of events (Wood, 2018). The culmination of these factors help to formulate a person’s political identity i.e. if they are a Republican or a Democrat.
I’ve spend a lot of the past couple months in quarantine reflecting on my own political socialization process. When I was a freshman I was a pretty conservative girl, but over the past years that has changed…a lot. I identified the three factors which I believe have been the most central in developing my opinions: peers/school, family, and impact of events. First, I have gone to a very progressive, liberal school my entire life, where most of the community shares the same opinions. Second, I was raised in a dual-party household, where I was exposed to both conservative and liberal beliefs. Finally, towards the end of high school, there was legislation passed in Georgia that was infuriating to me and motivated me to become more outspoken with my opinions. The culmination of these events helped to secure and solidify my political ideologies.
Adolescence is a time in our lives when we are especially vulnerable to influence from outside factors (Merelman, 1972). Regarding the Class of 2020, our political ideologies in particular were impacted and formed relatively young. In my personal experience, I found that my peers and I had at least partially developed our personal politics by the end of freshman year. My grade spent a semester when we were freshman taking Political Science during or shortly after the 2016 election. Needless to say, politics were a hot topic amongst our freshman selves. And it was impossible to be immune of unaffected by the opinion our peers.
As I mentioned, one factor of political socialization is the opinions of peers and educators. This essentially means that you are likely to be influenced by the people you socialize with. Additionally, as students, we are also going to be influenced by the opinions and biases of our teachers. Part of the reason why educators have such an immense impact is because their opinions are often intertwined with their teachings. It is difficult to separate opinion from the subject matter.
In the context of Galloway, I think this was something that I particularly experienced a lot of. To put it mildly, Galloway is rather left of center. I first began learning about the government and politics in the midst of the 2016 election from a wonderful teacher who did not keep his biases out of the classroom. This is not a criticism at all because his teaching style and discussion of his own opinions had a positive impact on me. I may not have completely agree with his opinions at the time, but over the next four years, I thought back to this class a lot. I believe that this played a very large role in my own political socialization process. Hearing an intelligent adult be open and knowledgeable with his political dogmas was something that I admired, and I hoped that I would one day follow in his footsteps.
The most important factor of political socialization is family or your parent’s opinions (Biglari, 2020). A child is more than likely to share the political identity of their parents. For example, if your parents practice traditionally conservative ideologies, you are likely to think the same way. This factor looked a little different for me. I was raised in a dual-party household. Both of my parents are moderates within their parties, but they still have opposing ideas regarding certain subjects like taxes and immigration reform. This has allowed me to have a political alignment that is inclusive and respectful of both parties. In a political atmosphere that has become so partisan, this is a quality that I am especially grateful for. The parental beliefs I was exposed to from a young age assisted in my political socialization process by making me more mindful and accepting. The larger impact this had on my political identity was the ability to find common ground and appreciate the positives that both sides have to offer. Of course, as time went on, my opinions did begin to align more with one side over the other, but we’re not there yet.
It is more likely people to get married to those who share the same beliefs. Specifically, 55% of married couples identify with the same party; Republicans married to Republicans, and Democrats married to Democrats. However, only 10% of married couples are Democrats married to Republicans (Hersh, 2016). When the parents have the same party, it is more than likely that the kids will also align with them. But when you’re in a situation like I was, there is a little more room for variation.
When I reflect on my political socialization process, I think my family’s beliefs had a huge impact by being less biased. It taught me how to argue for my side, forcing me to be well-versed on varying political topics in order to adequately defend my opinion. It allowed me to come to my own conclusions therefore making me even more secure with ideology.
The final agent of political socialization, which I believe had the largest impact on me, is the impact of events. In 2019, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 481, or, as it is colloquially known, The Heartbeat Bill. This bill prohibited women from getting abortions when a heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy. At six weeks, it is likely that a woman may not even know that she is pregnant. The only exceptions to this law could occur if continuing the pregnancy posed threat of serious harm to the woman or in cases of rape of incest in which there has been a filed police report.
This was one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. It strips a woman in that situation of any bodily autonomy. The passage of this bill infuriated me. Before it was passed, I tended to keep relatively quiet about my personal politics, as I did not see it my job to push my views on someone else. But this bill changed that for me.
Current events carry a lot of weight when it comes to voting behavior and the formation of one’s political identity. We learned in AP US Government and Politics that dramatic events can lead to emotionally fueled votes at the polls. For example, after 9/11, it was important to the American people that there was a leader who promised to keep us safe with a strong military. More recently and locally, after a surge in gun violence in the US, there was push for representatives like Lucy McBath, whose platform was primarily focused on implementing stricter gun laws. For me, it was the passage of the Heartbeat Bill that solidified my liberal ideologies and further motivated me to be an active advocate in my community.
As I have said from the beginning, politics have become an unavoidable, intrinsic part of our identity and everyday lives. Opinions are everywhere, and it is impossible not to take a stance. It is important to have an understanding as to why we think the way we do. Political socialization lays out the process by which our political ideologies are formed and the agents that influence them. What better way to learn about this subject than see a real example: yours truly. I started off my high school experience a little right of center, latching onto the opinions of some adults in my life. But because of my experiences with educators, my family, and current events, my opinions changed. It’s important to understand that the factors which had the greatest impact on me are not the only important agents of political socialization.
I think going to Galloway played an immense role in not just making me more liberal but making me a better advocate. We are taught advocacy and respect like we are taught multiplication at Galloway. Like I said, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting, and I am increasingly grateful for the community I have been a part of for the past 15 years.
Video
https://www.youtube.com/
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Political Socialization and the Making of Citizens by Anja Neundorf and Kaat Smets
Neundorf, Anja, and Kaat Smets. "Political Socialization and the Making of Citizens." Oxford Handbooks Online. February 06, 2017. Oxford University Press. Date of access 11 Feb. 2020, <https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935307.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199935307-e-98>
The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization by Michael McDevittMichael McDevitt, The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Volume 18, Issue 1, Spring 2006, Pages 67–88, https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edh079
The Adolescence of Political Socialization by Richard M. Merelman
Merelman, Richard M. “The Adolescence of Political Socialization.” Sociology of Education, vol. 45, no. 2, 1972, pp. 134–166. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2112005. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.
Political Socialization by Richard G. Niemi and Barbara I. Sobieszek
Niemi, Richard G., and Barbara I. Sobieszek. “Political Socialization.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 3, 1977, pp. 209–233. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2945936. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 YearsFraley, R. Chris, et al. “Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 Years.” Psychological Science, vol. 23, no. 11, 2012, pp. 1425–1431., www.jstor.org/stable/23484547. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
How Many Republicans Marry Democrats by Eitan Hersh
Hersh, Eitan. "How Many Republicans Marry Democrats?" Five Thirty Eight, 28 June
2016, fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-many-republicans-marry-democrats/.
Accessed 15 May 2020.
Neundorf, Anja, and Kaat Smets. "Political Socialization and the Making of Citizens." Oxford Handbooks Online. February 06, 2017. Oxford University Press. Date of access 11 Feb. 2020, <https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935307.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199935307-e-98>
The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization by Michael McDevittMichael McDevitt, The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Volume 18, Issue 1, Spring 2006, Pages 67–88, https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edh079
The Adolescence of Political Socialization by Richard M. Merelman
Merelman, Richard M. “The Adolescence of Political Socialization.” Sociology of Education, vol. 45, no. 2, 1972, pp. 134–166. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2112005. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.
Political Socialization by Richard G. Niemi and Barbara I. Sobieszek
Niemi, Richard G., and Barbara I. Sobieszek. “Political Socialization.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 3, 1977, pp. 209–233. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2945936. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 YearsFraley, R. Chris, et al. “Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 Years.” Psychological Science, vol. 23, no. 11, 2012, pp. 1425–1431., www.jstor.org/stable/23484547. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
How Many Republicans Marry Democrats by Eitan Hersh
Hersh, Eitan. "How Many Republicans Marry Democrats?" Five Thirty Eight, 28 June
2016, fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-many-republicans-marry-democrats/.
Accessed 15 May 2020.
Artifact Draft i
My Capstone project is investigating the process of political socialization. This is essentially the study of how different factors in a person’s life culminate to make their political opinions. Ultimately these factors have an impact on a person’s identity. My artifact will be a Buzzfeed style quiz.
At the beginning of the quiz the user will select which political party they affiliate with. After answering a series of other questions (below), they will get a written result of why they associate with this party and what the primary agent in their political socialization is.
Example questions:
What political party of your parents?
Republican Democrat
Which religion were you raised in?
Christian Catholic Jewish Buddhist Atheist
What was your parents marital status growing up?
Married Separated Divorced
Did you go to a private or public school?
Private Public
What region of the country did you grow up in?
Northeast South Midwest West
What is your gender?
Female Male Non-Binary
Do you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community?
Yes No
Which social class do you identify with most?
Lower Working Middle Upper/Middle Upper
What political party do your friends affiliate with?
Republican Democrat
At the beginning of the quiz the user will select which political party they affiliate with. After answering a series of other questions (below), they will get a written result of why they associate with this party and what the primary agent in their political socialization is.
Example questions:
What political party of your parents?
Republican Democrat
Which religion were you raised in?
Christian Catholic Jewish Buddhist Atheist
What was your parents marital status growing up?
Married Separated Divorced
Did you go to a private or public school?
Private Public
What region of the country did you grow up in?
Northeast South Midwest West
What is your gender?
Female Male Non-Binary
Do you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community?
Yes No
Which social class do you identify with most?
Lower Working Middle Upper/Middle Upper
What political party do your friends affiliate with?
Republican Democrat
Reflection Process II
I have not begun the written component if I am being honest. In all of the chaos of the past couple weeks, the Capstone has really not been at front of mind. I also am not even sure what our written component entails, and I wish I had an example. I feel like I don’t have enough direction, and the closer we get to the end of the year, the more I feel like I will be pressed for time at the end. I don’t know how to form a central question really because I feel like my topic is more concrete than a lot of others. My presentation would be more informative of facts that I encountered rather than asking abstract questions.
I honestly don’t know what sort of “experience” I can create. I don’t mean to sound overly frank here, but I just feel like there is not a lot of direction as to what a final version of this project will look like, and everything right now seems very abstract. I wish we had an example of an entirely complete final project just so we had an idea of where we are headed. Right now I just feel like there are a lot of components, and I am having trouble seeing how they will come together.
I honestly don’t know what sort of “experience” I can create. I don’t mean to sound overly frank here, but I just feel like there is not a lot of direction as to what a final version of this project will look like, and everything right now seems very abstract. I wish we had an example of an entirely complete final project just so we had an idea of where we are headed. Right now I just feel like there are a lot of components, and I am having trouble seeing how they will come together.
Reflection Process I
I have read more than enough textbook information that lays out the basics of Political Socialization in various classes at Galloway. I think within the Galloway community, an obvious person to speak to about this topic would be Mr. Biglari. Also, seeing as I want to tie together Political Socialization and Self-Fashioning, Dr. Holt would be an additionally great point person. I hope to learn from these conversations what they think is the most important factor in contributing to the influence of one’s identity, whether it by political or otherwise. Externally, I would speak with State Senator Jen Jordan about what she sees as the most influential part of someone’s political identity and how it relates to her campaign strategies. I would ask her if the thought that some people are more open to a change in opinion than others and how do you appeal to that susceptibility.
My next question: What are the most influential factors in one’s political socialization? How does this relate to the conditions of Self-Fashioning?
My next question: What are the most influential factors in one’s political socialization? How does this relate to the conditions of Self-Fashioning?
REVISED Capstone Project Narrative + Research Components
Political Socialization and the Making of Citizens by Anja Neundorf and Kaat Smets
Neundorf, Anja, and Kaat Smets. "Political Socialization and the Making of Citizens." Oxford Handbooks Online. February 06, 2017. Oxford University Press. Date of access 11 Feb. 2020, <https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935307.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199935307-e-98>
This source gave me some initial information about how political socialization is defined and a look into the historical presence of the term. In order to understand how political socialization has transgressed to today, it is important that I have an adequate understanding of the term and factors that contribute to its definition and form. I believe this source will provide me with a good foundation for understanding and a base for my research and future use and definition of the term.
The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization by Michael McDevittMichael McDevitt, The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Volume 18, Issue 1, Spring 2006, Pages 67–88, https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edh079
This source highlighted that adolescence is a critical time period for political socialization factors to truly manifest. Teenagers become more provokes with thought and in tuned with their greater surroundings, so they then turn to their parents to initiate conversation about politically centered topics. Adolescence is perhaps our most impressionable period, thus it is a vital time for discussion and for opinions to develop. I am focusing on teenagers in my project, so this supports my thinking.
The Adolescence of Political Socialization by Richard M. Merelman
Merelman, Richard M. “The Adolescence of Political Socialization.” Sociology of Education, vol. 45, no. 2, 1972, pp. 134–166. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2112005. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.
This source, like the last, focused on the adolescent period and its relationship with political socialisation. It also highlighted the differences in development from childhood to adolescence and how they can impact one’s understanding of issues and how opinions can develop. I enjoyed the background perspective of adding childhood into the equation. I think this will serve to provide me with even more data and evidence.
Political Socialization by Richard G. Niemi and Barbara I. Sobieszek
Niemi, Richard G., and Barbara I. Sobieszek. “Political Socialization.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 3, 1977, pp. 209–233. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2945936. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
This source served as more background information on political socialization and its growth, as it was published in 1977. It named the different times in history when political socialization became a more popular term and how it got to that point. In addition to this, it showed how different political ideals have changed in correlation to greater world events, such as WWII. This source will be meaningful to my project because it will allow me to see how political socialization has manifested through the decades.
Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 YearsFraley, R. Chris, et al. “Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 Years.” Psychological Science, vol. 23, no. 11, 2012, pp. 1425–1431., www.jstor.org/stable/23484547. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
This source encompasses the information from the previous four and essentially laid it out all in one. It investigated, hence the name, the development of political socialization and levels of impact on an individual before they turn 18. Impactful political socialization exposure begins very young. This is accompanied by a history of the terminology.
Internal Expert Conversation
My internal expert is Mr. Biglari because he has taught various politically centered classes at Galloway for what seems like forever. What I find interesting about Big’s job and the correlation to political socialization is that he is teaching kids about politics at what is arguable one of their most impressionable times. Thus, his class and opinions and teachings are all impressed on students one way or another. I have always thought highly of Big’s attempts to remain unbiased as a teacher in discussions, but, as is supported by my research thus far, adolescence is an impressionable time for political socialization regardless. When I talk with Big, I would love to see if he has ever thought about this ironic correlation. I wonder, if he is conscious of it, does this prompt him to make an even more active effort to remain unbiased.
External Expert Conversation
Beginning next week, I will be interning at the Capitol with Senator Jen Jordan. Mrs. Jordan was not a career politician, nor did she ever think she would have involvement with politics until recent years. I would be interested in discussing with her what prompted her to make this career change. Additionally, I would want to ask how her political opinions have developed over time and how she thinks her upbringing and information she received in her formative years impacted that.
Neundorf, Anja, and Kaat Smets. "Political Socialization and the Making of Citizens." Oxford Handbooks Online. February 06, 2017. Oxford University Press. Date of access 11 Feb. 2020, <https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935307.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199935307-e-98>
This source gave me some initial information about how political socialization is defined and a look into the historical presence of the term. In order to understand how political socialization has transgressed to today, it is important that I have an adequate understanding of the term and factors that contribute to its definition and form. I believe this source will provide me with a good foundation for understanding and a base for my research and future use and definition of the term.
The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization by Michael McDevittMichael McDevitt, The Partisan Child: Developmental Provocation as a Model of Political Socialization, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Volume 18, Issue 1, Spring 2006, Pages 67–88, https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edh079
This source highlighted that adolescence is a critical time period for political socialization factors to truly manifest. Teenagers become more provokes with thought and in tuned with their greater surroundings, so they then turn to their parents to initiate conversation about politically centered topics. Adolescence is perhaps our most impressionable period, thus it is a vital time for discussion and for opinions to develop. I am focusing on teenagers in my project, so this supports my thinking.
The Adolescence of Political Socialization by Richard M. Merelman
Merelman, Richard M. “The Adolescence of Political Socialization.” Sociology of Education, vol. 45, no. 2, 1972, pp. 134–166. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2112005. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.
This source, like the last, focused on the adolescent period and its relationship with political socialisation. It also highlighted the differences in development from childhood to adolescence and how they can impact one’s understanding of issues and how opinions can develop. I enjoyed the background perspective of adding childhood into the equation. I think this will serve to provide me with even more data and evidence.
Political Socialization by Richard G. Niemi and Barbara I. Sobieszek
Niemi, Richard G., and Barbara I. Sobieszek. “Political Socialization.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 3, 1977, pp. 209–233. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2945936. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
This source served as more background information on political socialization and its growth, as it was published in 1977. It named the different times in history when political socialization became a more popular term and how it got to that point. In addition to this, it showed how different political ideals have changed in correlation to greater world events, such as WWII. This source will be meaningful to my project because it will allow me to see how political socialization has manifested through the decades.
Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 YearsFraley, R. Chris, et al. “Developmental Antecedents of Political Ideology: A Longitudinal Investigation From Birth to Age 18 Years.” Psychological Science, vol. 23, no. 11, 2012, pp. 1425–1431., www.jstor.org/stable/23484547. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020.
This source encompasses the information from the previous four and essentially laid it out all in one. It investigated, hence the name, the development of political socialization and levels of impact on an individual before they turn 18. Impactful political socialization exposure begins very young. This is accompanied by a history of the terminology.
Internal Expert Conversation
My internal expert is Mr. Biglari because he has taught various politically centered classes at Galloway for what seems like forever. What I find interesting about Big’s job and the correlation to political socialization is that he is teaching kids about politics at what is arguable one of their most impressionable times. Thus, his class and opinions and teachings are all impressed on students one way or another. I have always thought highly of Big’s attempts to remain unbiased as a teacher in discussions, but, as is supported by my research thus far, adolescence is an impressionable time for political socialization regardless. When I talk with Big, I would love to see if he has ever thought about this ironic correlation. I wonder, if he is conscious of it, does this prompt him to make an even more active effort to remain unbiased.
External Expert Conversation
Beginning next week, I will be interning at the Capitol with Senator Jen Jordan. Mrs. Jordan was not a career politician, nor did she ever think she would have involvement with politics until recent years. I would be interested in discussing with her what prompted her to make this career change. Additionally, I would want to ask how her political opinions have developed over time and how she thinks her upbringing and information she received in her formative years impacted that.