Where Do They End Up? Biographical and Mental Consequences of Political Activism

Within the research on outcomes of social movement activities, personal and biographical consequences of political activists are an important topic (Guigni 2008; McAdam 1989). This literature shows a consistent and durable impact of commitment in social movement for the personal life as well as for understandings activists constructed. In particular, it was shown that activists endorsed community specific worldviews, had more radical political orientations and showed higher Levels of political activity. In terms of political life, they were more prone to end up in 'helping' professions (e.g. teaching), to earn less then non-activists and to have a less traditional married life. The use of survey data from the Swiss Household Panel gives us a unique opportunity to test these assumptions with appropriate longitudinal data. Does political activism have biographical consequences? Does it lead to changes in activists' attitudes and personal lives? Or, do individuals already have particular understandings and personal lives before they join activism? In addition, we want to extend this idea on different activists' mileus by comparing activists committed to ecological associations with unionists and voluntary associations. Is contentious activism specific in terms of biographical consequences, or, do different forms of activism produce similar outcomes?