Obstacles of Citizenship

Abstract

This panel explores why individuals decide not to participate in politics broadly conceived. It asks why citizens find it difficult to or choose not to become involved in a variety of citizenship practices, including (but not limited to) voting, joining political parties, unions and non-governmental organizations, and participating in protests and political consumerism. Important general topics for the panel include: free-riding; moral licensing; the social dilemmas of participation; the role of socialization, political opportunity structures, international and/or inter-personal trust in dampening or heightening a sense of responsibility for the common good among different groups of citizens; the importance of citizen literacy and role models for developing citizenship practices; the role of popular culture in triggering, guiding or discouraging citizens from actively participating in societal matters within their societies and globally; the ramifications of a lack of demos and a lack of sense of collective solidarity for activating citizen responsibility for the common good; and the phenomenon of citizen drop-outs. The panel welcomes papers that address these questions theoretically and/or empirically, within particular state contexts and/or comparatively. Papers that address the topic of free-riding and obstacles of citizenship in countries or areas of the world presently undergoing democratization processes (e.g., the MENA region) are particularly welcome.

Title	Details
Diversity and Generalised Trust: The Case of Turkey	View Paper Details
Does Political Disenchantment Lead to Protest? A Multilevel Analysis	View Paper Details
Do Closed Political Systems Render Citizens Powerless? A Cross-national Comparison of the Effect of Institutional Structures on External Efficacy in 33 Countries	View Paper Details
Civic Education, Political Knowledge and Support for Decentralisation and Democracy: Evidence from a Randomised Information Campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo	View Paper Details
Making Sense of 'Weakness' of Post-Communist Civil Society: Individual v Organised Engagement in Civil Advocacy in the Czech Republic	View Paper Details